Ten Years
by MayaPotter97
Summary: Lily Evans's life changed drastically when she received a letter in which she was told to be a witch and was offered to study in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But what she didn't expect was that there she'd meet her enemy, friend, boyfriend and husband, James Potter. Ten chapters, one for each year of their lives between eleven and twenty-one years old.
1. First Year or A Sorting Problem

**Chapter One: First Year**

or _A Sorting Problem_

...

James didn't like that redhead. He had decided so when he had first saw her in the train, sitting with that greasy-haired boy Sirius had wisely nicknamed Snivellus. She had done nothing but sneer at him and call them rather mean names, such as dimwits or brats. _Brats!_ No one had ever called James Potter a brat, and that redhead wouldn't be an exception. He didn't know her name yet, but his newfound friend – a black-haired boy named Sirius Black – and him had already planned a positively nasty prank to be pulled on the anonymous redhead later on that term.

Lily hadn't liked the black-haired boy who had scurried into their compartment, either. Severus had been her only friend for a while and see those two boys – who could almost be taken as brothers – picking on him had just made Lily furious. There was the cocky one, the one with the curly hair, and there was the other one, with a rather charming but nevertheless undoubtedly annoying look in his hazel brown eyes. The young redhead couldn't wait to get back at them for bullying her best friend – especially at that annoying hazel-eyed boy.

The two of them stood in the two edges of the first year group waiting in front of the Sorting Hat. James and Sirius, in the left side of the group, snickered at the Hat's old and filthy appearance, whilst Lily commented to James and some girl she had just met about how amazing the ceiling of the Great Hall looked.

Soon, Professor McGonagall walked up next to the stool over which the Sorting Hat was peacefully resting, and called out a name.

"Alderton, Rachel!"

A small brunette, who had her face full with freckles, walked up sheepishly and sat down on the stool. She felt the Sorting Hat resting over her brown locks, and a few seconds later it cried out the eleven-year-old's house.

"Hufflepuff!"

After Rachel came 'Anderson, Robert', who was placed in Ravenclaw, and after Robert another name was called out.

"Black, Sirius!"

Lily noticed how the Slytherin table had started muttering nervously. What the girl ignored was the presence in that table of Sirius's older cousins, Bellatrix, a rather blunt seventh year, and Narcissa Black, a particularily self-centered fifth year. They all thought Sirius would end up Slytherin, although Bellatrix and Narcissa, as well as the rest of the Black family, had despised the boy since a very young age.

Sirius felt how the Sorting Hat fell over his curly black hair and pressed his eyes close. He didn't want to become a Slytherin, he didn't want to be like the rest of his family. He had always been called things such as blood traitor by his own parents, but Sirius didn't care. Even from such an early age – barely eleven and a half years old – Sirius knew what was right and what was wrong in his own terms, and clearly being rather mean to someone because of not belonging to the Wizarding world sounded rather wrong to his young ears.

The boy let out a loud sigh when the Sorting Hat took its decision.

"Gryffindor!"

The Great Hall remained silent. Some Gryffindors clapped, but others frowned at the thought of having a member of the Black family in their own House. Was that even _possible?_ But the quietest of the four Houses was Slytherin. They all watched with an air of contempt how the youngest Black sat down in the Gryffindor table, shaking hands with some of his now fellow House mates.

After Sirius came 'Botts, Alyssa' and 'Clements, Horace' who were both placed in Slytherin, 'Coltrane, Amanda' who was made a Hufflepuff, 'Dunder, Hugo' and 'Elliot, Sophie' who were made Ravenclaws.

"Evans, Lily!" cried out McGonagall.

Lily shivered. She had feared that moment from the very beginning. Severus had told her all over and over again that the best house to be placed in was Slytherin – but in her particular research the previous month Lily had found it wasn't the best choice for her own criterion. She had particularly wanted to become either a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor, but she had doubted her second choice after seeing the hazel-eyed boy's friend sitting down in the Gryffindor table. Sirius Black, she had heard he was called.

Lily timidly made her way up to the stool, and felt her legs wobbling lightly as the Sorting Hat was placed over her long red hair. She heard the Heart mumble some words inside her head, and she pressed her eyes close. Not Slytherin, please. She heard the hat snort she didn't have the heart to become a Slytherin, so it ended up calling out something quite different.

"Gryffindor!"

Lily's eyes opened in glee as the Gryffindor table roared at their new female housemate. She grinned happily, but her expression fell when she saw Severus's frown. When she passed by her friend she patted the boy's back, giving him a warm smile.

"I'm sure you can make it to Gryffindor too," she said, trying to cheer him up.

"I'd rather die," Severus growled.

Lily frowned at her friend's attitude, but said nothing. She ignored what Severus had against Gryffindor, but it was definitely something rather nasty going on between Snape's past and the red and gold-coloured house.

The redhead was forced to take a seat next to Sirius, as they were, by the time being, the only two Gryffindors sorted.

Lily was followed by 'Finlay, Ewan', who was made a Hufflepuff, and 'Fleet, Rodney', Slytherin. 'Greene, Mario' was made a Ravenclaw, and then Lily's new friend, a small blonde girl with big hazel eyes, was called out.

"Haley, Alma!"

Little Alma walked with wobbly knees to the Headmistress, and flopped onto the stool with a nervous expression. Lily couldn't help but start cheering loudly when she was sorted into Gryffindor, and greeted her friend cheerfully along with the other Gryffindor students. Later on, 'Jenkins, Edward' was made a Hufflepuff and 'Jones, Alfred' was made a Ravenclaw. The next boy to come up looked rather scrawny and particularly tired, which Lily attributed to a bad night's sleep.

"Lupin, Remus!"

Remus walked onto the stool and closed his eyes peacefully as the hat sorted him into Gryffindor. All of the table started roaring in glee, but the boy just gave them a shy smile and slipped into a seat in front of Lily. The red haired girl told herself she definitely liked that boy.

'MacMillan, Alexander' was made a Hufflepuff, 'Mayhew, Dexter' was made a Ravenclaw, while his twin sister, 'Mayhew, Marianne' was placed in Gryffindor. 'Needle, Joseph' became a Hufflepuff, and 'Nott, Oscar', became the third Slytherin boy, followed by 'Olive, Martina' into the Slytherin house. 'Pettigrew, Peter', a small and slightly chubby boy, was made a Gryffindor too, and was greeted to the table by Remus, Lily, Alma, Sirius and Marianne. After Peter came 'Pollack, Kimberley', who was made a Slytherin, and then came a name that made Sirius smile with proud.

"Potter, James!"

Lily's expression fell when she saw 'Potter, James' was none other than the hazel-eyed boy from the train. The boy looked at Sirius and Remus, who seemed to be his new friends in school, and smiled cockily at Lily, who glared in response. To say the truth, she wasn't liking that Potter boy very much. She could only hope he wasn't placed in Gryffindor too. James seemed cocky and slightly arrogant, but somehow Lily knew he wouldn't make a good Slytherin anyway. The way he looked at his friends, she could tell she was a loyal and even trustable boy. And perhaps even a smart boy, although Lily would never admit that. Anyway, she just wanted him not to be a Gryffindor too.

Of course, Lily's pleas were completely ignored by the Sorting Hat.

"Gryffindor!"

James grinned happily as the table roared as they welcomed the next Gryffindor. Lily just frowned, but she felt angry when Alma started clapping happily and shook James's hand. Even Remus seemed to have befriended the boy, who seemed to have a weird charm that made Lily dislike him even more. Ugh, she just wanted to hand him a hair comb or something – his messy black hair was sticking out in all directions, as if he hadn't seen a hair comb in a while.

When the boy finished his round of greetings to his fellow housemates, he looked at Lily with a cocky smile.

"Well redhead, it seems like we're both Gryffindors," he said, offering his hand to her. "I'm James Potter, nice to meet you."

Lily doubted to shake his hand, but finally resolved she didn't want enemies at school, so she offered him her best smile.

"Lily Evans," she answered.

The girl shook James's hand, but suddenly felt an electrical shiver running through her body. She backed away and found all of the tiny hairs in her arm had stiffened. The boy showed their table mates some strange Zonko's artifact. Everyone seemed to crack up in laughter, but Lily only frowned at him deeply and started fuming when the eleven-year-old daredevil dared to take a seat next to her, playing with the cutlery happily as he started a conversation with Remus.

Gladly for Lily, the Sorting Ceremony continued. After James came 'Preston, Angela', who was a Slytherin, 'Puckett, Lucy' and 'Quinn, Emma', Ravenclaws, 'Raymond, Brandon', Slytherin, 'Richards, Juliet', Gryffindor, 'Rosemont, Eve', Hufflepuff, 'Samson, Anthony' and 'Sheffield, Paula', Hufflepuffs, 'Shields, Constance', Gryffindor. After Connie – as the girl had introduced herself to her House mates, for she highly disliked her full name – had sat down between Juliet and Alma, the five Gryffindor girls started chatting happily, knowing they would have to share dorms with the other four for a very long time. However, Lily seemed to snap out of the conversation when a very familiar name was called out.

"Snape, Severus!"

All of the Gryffindors turned around to find a greasy-haired, rather unhandsome boy walking over to the three-legged stool. Lily's eyes met Severus's, and she gave her friend a comforting smile. Severus just shrugged, making it clear he would never be a Gryffindor. Behind Lily, the four newfound friends snickered at _Snivellus_, as Sirius had nicknamed Severus in the train. Lily rolled her eyes and waited for the Hat to sort him in Gryffindor, but none of that happened.

"Slytherin!"

Severus didn't glance at Lily once as he took a seat with the rather nasty-looking Slytherin students. Lily felt upset about it, but didn't comment anything. The Gryffindor first years' conversation was delayed to the end of the ceremony.

After Snape came 'Sommers, Georgette' and 'Stern, Isaac', who became Hufflepuffs, 'Strathmore, Irene', Ravenclaw, 'Tanner, Simona', Slytherin, 'Thompson, Sara', Ravenclaw, 'Thorne, Stella', Slytherin, 'Williams, Quincy', Hufflepuff, and 'Wood, Gale', who became a Gryffindor.

Gale was the last one to join the table. The four boys talked eagerly to him, but Gale seemed quite happy to have ended up in Gryffindor with his new friend Juliet, who wouldn't stop joking about things that happened to both of them in the train ride. Connie and Marianne became quite close after sparing a few words, whilst Lily had found the best friend in Alma, although she was liking her House mates very much so far. She couldn't say the same for the boys: she did like Gale, Peter and Remus – despite being the last two friends with James – but she was starting to suspect she wouldn't enjoy James and Sirius's presence very much over her years in Hogwarts.

And she would realize that when the next morning all female Gryffindor first years woke up with firecrackers dashing through their new dormitory. Of course, when Lily looked at the door, she saw James and Sirius's cocky expressions, and felt determined to get back at James for that. What Lily didn't know, and which she would realize later on, is that love and hate are two horns of the same goat.

...

**Author's Note**: Thanks for taking the time to read this! This chapter is crammed with tributes to my favourite characters from movies and books, such as Isaac Stern (Itzak Stern from _Schindler's List_), Gale as for Gale Hawthorne in _The Hunger Games_, Sara Thompson, Hugo Dunder and Mario Greene are actually my best friends, Dexter Mayhew from _One Day_, Alfred Jones from_ Salmon Fishing in Yemen_...anyway, I hope you liked it. It's the first chapter of a ten-chapter long story, one for each year Lily and James were together.

The last sentence 'love and hate are two horns of the same goat' are a reference to a movie I watched yesterday, _The Help_, which by the way is very recommendable and I must say I enjoyed it very much.

Next chapter, _Second Year or Filch's Comeback_, will come soon!


	2. Second Year or The Hanging Snivelly

**Chapter Two: Second Year**

or _The Hanging Snivelly_

...

As November dug its way into the Highlands, all of the school students started pulling their scarves and gloves from inside their trunks. Gryffindors wore their scarlet and gold outfits with joy and pride, Hufflepuffs loved how puffy and nice their black and yellow scarves felt to their touch, Ravenclaws wore their bronze and blue hats with proud expressions as they flipped through the pages of their textbooks, and Slytherins wore their silver and green outfits with a sense of superiority.

Lily's own scarf became quite the great thing as she walked inside with her friends Alma, Gale and Juliet after their last lesson of the day, Herbology. Over the last year, Alma had become the closest thing to a sister in Hogwarts, they understood each other perfectly and had bonded incredibly over a year. She felt almost the same way about Juliet, who had become her closest friend after Alma. Of the boys, she had become closest with Remus and Gale, but unfortunately – to Lily's criterion – Remus spent _way_ too much time with those nasty Marauders, as they had claimed to call themselves, so she had become particularly close with Gale, who was like a brother to her. Nevertheless, the four of them had been waiting for Remus to join them on their way to the library after classes, but he had said he was going with his friends – the _Marauders_, Lily almost spat – although he hadn't specified what were they actually going to do. It was very common for the Marauders to do that, they weren't used to explaining the actions and just did what they felt like doing, to Lily's disgust.

When they arrived to the library, they took a seat in a table of four, Gale and Lily in front of Alma and Juliet. They had plenty of homework that day, and they should really get to work if they wanted to hand everything in time.

"Have you ever thought of how ironic it is to call this 'homework'?" Gale asked as the four of them started writing a Defense Against the Dark Arts essay on Cornwall Pixies. The three girls looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I mean...home-work. Work to be done at home. We aren't at home, we're at school twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week except for breaks.

Lily thought about his friend's words, and thought he was right. As a little girl, in her muggle school, she would have never thought that, but Gale had a point.

"But how should we call it then?" questioned Alma.

"I dunno," Gale answered, with that very Yorkshire accent he had. "I guess we could call it after-classes work, or something. But definitely not homework."

The four of them chuckled at the boy's idea, and resolved to call homework after-classes work from then on. Then, after Lily hushed them back to work, the four twelve-year-olds turned back to their essays.

A while later, Lily heard footsteps approaching their table, but didn't look back. She knew the library always became crammed with students during the evening, so she wouldn't bother if someone sat behind her. However, when she heard a fairly recognizable smirk over her, she looked up and rolled her eyes.

"Potter," she mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"Arresting Wood, are you not Evans?" he asked, the smirk visible in his face. The turned to Juliet, Gale and Alma, and flashed a smile at them. Then he looked back at Lily with a cocky smile. "Have you seen your friend Snivellus lately, Evans?"

"Not really, I haven't seen him since Pot- " Lily stopped herself and her eyes opened wide. She stared at James, who could barely hold back his laughter. "You idiot! What did you do to him?"

James couldn't take it any more and started laughing loudly. The twelve-year-old ran out of the library, and Lily started getting nervous.

"Alma, will you take my things back to the dorm if I don't come back early, please?" she asked to her best friend. Alma nodded, and Lily dashed out of the library, barely saying goodbye to her three friends.

It wasn't hard to catch up with Potter. He after all wanted Lily to see what they had done to poor Severus, and he had made sure he barely jogged so as to allow her to catch up. In no time, she saw her red hair appearing from around the corner, and James snickered. She would get positively mad when she saw Snivellus.

He found Sirius with his wand out, pointing at Snivellus as if defying him to do something. Peter stood a few meters away from them, watching out for any professors that might come. James laughed happily as he saw Lily watching her friend's position in horror. Remus was standing next to Sirius, he wasn't doing anything but the snicker in the boy's face made Lily angry enough.

"POTTER!" she cried furiously. "What have you done to Severus?"

Lily looked around in frustration, wondering what charm had those boys used on her poor friend. She hated to admit it, but James was brilliant in Transfigurations and Charms, so it would take her some time to figure out what the heck had they done.

Severus Snape hung from the corridor's ceiling, having been tightly tied with a rather strong-looking rope. This greasy hair fell under him, and his usually sarcastic expression had been swapped for a frown and a greenish colour. Lily feared her friend would throw up.

She walked towards James angrily, her face almost red.

"Get him back to the floor!" Lily ordered him furiously. "You two dimwitted, stupid fools!"

James and Sirius laughed in unison as Sirius placed his wand safely into his cloak with a cocky smile.

"You figure it out, Miss Evans," Sirius told her. "You're the smartest witch in our class after all, are you not?"

Lily's mind found a thousand adjectives that would fit Potter and Black right then, and none of them was precisely a good one. She clenched her teeth and frowned. She pulled out her wand and pointed at Severus, trying to undo their hex. She couldn't find any spell that would work, and she felt something freezing the back of her head when she head a sharp voice calling her.

"Miss Evans!" called Professor Meester, the Arithmancy teacher. She seemed outraged by the sight of Lily pointing suspiciously at Severus. She had her eyes wide and walked to the girl practically fuming. "Of all people, I can't believe you've done such a thing! Poor Snape, the dear thing..." she turned to the chuckling four boys next to Lily. "And I assume you four have something to do with this too! Oh dear, of all people, Miss Evans, of all students...I can't believe it!"

"But, Professor," Lily muttered, about to start crying. "I- I didn't do anything, it was all Potter and Black! It's not fair!"

"Shush, miss!" Professor Meester cut her. "No further discussion. I want Mr. Snape safe in the floor. I'll take ten points from Gryffindor," the four boys sighed in relief, ten points wasn't much. "- For each of you, which makes it fifty points. Plus, the five of you will have to attend detention. Potter and Evans, you may come to my office today after dinner. Lupin, Pettigrew and Black, you'll be more than welcome to follow suit tomorrow."

Said this, Professor Meester whipped her wand and Severus floated back to the floor. After this, the Muggle Studies professor glared at Potter one last time and walked away. Severus tried to clean his vest, trying hard not to start yelling at the Marauders.

"Here, let me help you," said Lily, fixing his tie a little. When she placed it correctly, she gave Severus a small smile. "That's better. Are you okay, Sev?"

"Are you okay, Sev?" mimicked James behind her. His three friends snickered.

"Shut the fuck up," Severus muttered, trying to ignore the Marauders.

"Said what, Snivelly?" Sirius defied the Slytherin, raising his eyebrows.

"I told you to shut the fuck up," growled Severus, louder than the last time.

Sirius seemed to whip out his wand, but Lily started pulling Severus away from the other four boys, not wanting to get in any more trouble.

"Just ignore them," she told him. She shot daggers at James and Sirius, and then looked back at Severus. "Say Sev, how would you like a walk around the lake?"

Severus nodded happily, immediately agreeing with his friend's idea. Lily linked her arm with Severus's, and ignored the boys behind them. The two friends walked down the corridors on their way to the lake. When they were gone, the first Marauder to crack up in laughter was Peter, soon followed by Remus and Sirius. James, however, seemed to keep on staring at the point where he had lost view of the red haired girl.

"What's wrong, mate?" Sirius asked. "It's not like detention's anything too serious, you know that. Besides, you'll be with that little goody-two-shoes. I'm sure Meester-Peester won't make you do excessively hard chores. It's us who should be fearing that woman."

"I was just thinking," James answered quietly. "That Lily – I mean, that Evans girl – certainly has something, doesn't she?"

Sirius shrugged, "Yeah, tons of red hair. Other than that, I can't really tell. Maybe you should ask this guy over here," he jerked his thumb at Remus, who seemed to be playing with his wand with a bored expression. "He's our little enemy's friend, after all. Actually, I think he's the only one of the four of us she isn't willing to strangle right now."

"Excuse me if I'm not a jerk to girls," Remus scoffed. "Besides, Lily is a quite nice girl. You two just can't see that yet."

James and Sirius snickered at their friend in unison, but by the time being they couldn't know how right Remus was.

...

Lily and Severus returned from their walk around the lake about an hour later. They had talked about many things, but there was something in Severus's voice Lily didn't like very much. He sounded somewhat greedy. Yes, greedy would be the word. His Slytherin mates had brainwashed him about Muggleborns and other things Lily couldn't stand being talked about, whilst Snape didn't seem to get tired of it. The young lad was about to talk to her about Salazar Slytherin when the girl stopped next to the Fat Lady portrait.

"Look, Sev," she sighed. "It's not like I don't enjoy your conversations...but I'm feeling they're not the same any more. Back home you would be a lot nicer, and now I sometimes think you even smug when I'm around." Lily frowned and looked into Severus's eyes. "It's...it's all about your new friends, right? They don't like me."

Severus was caught off-guard by his friend's comment. It was true, most Slytherins scolded him for hanging out with a Gryffindor, and when they had found out she was Muggleborn they had even started making fun of him. However, Severus had swallowed his pride and still talked to Lily, although he couldn't deny he would always feel tense when a Slytherin came around.

"Well, your new friends don't seem to like me either," he scoffed. "That Potter and his friends are just disgusting."

"They're not my friends!" she exclaimed. She furrowed her brow. "You don't even know my friends. Alma is so sweet and nice, and I'm sure you'd like Juliet. She's clever, and really funny. Oh, and wait until you meet Gale! He's nothing like those Marauders, he's such a nice boy, quirky and funny..."

"It seems like you're doing pretty well with your new friends," Severus snarled. "Why do you still hang out with me, having them?"

Lily frowned, "Because you're my friend too, Sev. Don't be silly."

"I'm not being silly, I'm being realistic," Severus retorted. "I knew this would happen. Why couldn't you become a Slytherin? You're befriending those...Gryffindor freaks and that bunch of blood traitors."

Lily didn't know what 'blood traitor' meant, but she could tell it was nothing good.

"Why couldn't _you_ become a Gryffindor?" Lily snapped. "I'm sure everything would be a lot easier. And you wouldn't have befriended those snobby Slytherins."

Severus frowned. He was sure Lily had started befriending the Potter boy, even though she wouldn't admit it. It hurt him to think she would choose James over himself, but he didn't say anything. He didn't want to argue with Lily because of the Potter boy.

"I guess I should go back to the dungeons," Severus muttered. "You know...I have to do some stuff over there."

"Bye then," Lily answered rather dryly. "See you tomorrow."

Severus started walking away, feeling rather hurt by his closest friend's cold attitude. He knew it was partly his fault because he had almost called her a mudblood, but he couldn't do anything about it, it was just how he felt towards all Gryffindors. Mudbloods and blood traitors, and that was all you'd find in a Gryffindor common room.

When Lily made sure Severus was out of earshot, she gave the Fat Lady the password and walked into the Gryffindor common room. There she found Alma, Gale and Juliet sitting next to the fire, chatting happily until they saw her. Lily flopped onto the couch next to them with a tired expression.

"What happened?" Gale asked.

"Marauders. Severus. Tied. Ceiling. Detention. Potter," was all that Lily was able to mumble.

"I knew you'd end up getting in trouble," Juliet said. "Just...just ignore them, okay? They're not as bad as they seem."

Lily rolled her eyes at her friend, but said nothing. Of course they were as bad as they seemed. Now she had to face an entire detention hour with Potter, under the watch of paranoid Professor Meester.

When Lily was about to fall asleep in the couch, cuddled next to the sofa, she heard a voice calling her from one of the tables.

"Evans!" called James Potter with a cocky smile. "Today after dinner is certainly going to be wicked fun, right?"

Lily growled, but said nothing.

One day, she would be old enough to practice magic outside Hogwarts. And that day she was going to make sure James Potter ended up hanging from one of the Big Ben's needles by his boxers.

...

**Author's Note**: Taa-daa! Second chapter done. I hope you like it, I don't think it's good at all but whatever. I'd also like to thank all of my reviewers – three so far, not bad. And I want to give a big shout out to JasNorden352, AKToad and Cassia4u for being my first reviewers! You guys are brilliant.

Next chapter: _Third Year or The Quidditch Incident_ will be up soon!


	3. Third Year or Bludge It As You Take It

**Chapter Three: Third Year**

Or _Bludge It As You Take It_

...

James couldn't feel more thrilled about his new position as a Chaser in the Quidditch team. Of his four friends, he had been the only one to make it through, along with his House mate Gale Wood as Beater. Both of them were ecstatic about their first match, which was due in two weeks. They would always sneak outside with their broomsticks after class, and fly around for hours tossing Quaffles at each other. Sometimes they were joined by Sirius, who hadn't attended the Quidditch trials because he was too busy taking a nap, or Remus and Peter, who cheered loudly.

It was one particularly sunny October morning when the ten third year Gryffindors were invited over to hold a small Quidditch game all together, five versus five. At first, Lily had felt determined not to go, because she couldn't stand watching James show off about his incredible – yet annoying – Chaser skills. But she was slowly convinced by her friends to a point she wouldn't be able to say no.

The thirteen-year-olds left the Great Hall after breakfast with happy smiles in their faces. They all had their own broomsticks, were they better – like James and Gale's Nimbuses 1050 – or worse, like Peter's brother's old broomstick. However, they were all cheery and happy no matter what broomstick they owned.

They were lucky it was sunny outside. The students could hang around with shirts and vest without needing woolen jumpers or winter cloaks, which would have made the match a lot harder.

Everyone followed James and Gale into a part of the school lands which seemed like an immense yard perfect to hold a small Quidditch game. There were oddly-shaped trees that could serve as goal posts, and James and Sirius had taken care of sneaking out a quaffle to play around with. Everyone smiled happily as they mounted their broomsticks and got ready for the match.

"I'm quite bad at flying," Marianne muttered, grabbing hold of her broomstick. "My brother would always pick on me when we were younger."

"I'm sure you aren't worse than Lily," Juliet snickered. Lily glared at her, but the girl just started laughing.

When the ten of them were ready, James and Gale decided they would each be the captain of a team. Lily hoped James wouldn't pick her, James hoped Gale wouldn't pick Lily so she could be in his team. But as much as he would like Lily in his team, Sirius would always be his first choice no matter what.

"Padfoot, c'mere!"

Sirius walked happily towards his best friend as Gale called out for Remus. James picked Alma and Peter, and Gale picked Marianne and Connie. It was only Juliet and her left. Lily crossed her eyes and begged for Gale to choose her.

"Hm..." the boy mumbled. "Hard choice here. Juliet or Lily? They are both quite good flyers, but I don't know. Hm...I guess Juliet."

Lily's heart sank as she watched James Potter smiling cockily at her and gesturing her to come closer. Great, teaming up with Potter, Black and Peter...well, at least she had Alma.

When she reached her team, they all circled into a very team-ish position. To her disgust, James's arm was draped over her shoulder, but she didn't protest. She was going to spend a nice day with her friends and no James Potter would make her angry.

"So, team, what's going to be our strategy?" James asked.

"I say Peter plays Keeper, one of us defense, two in the mid-front and James in the centre," suggested Alma quickly.

Lily elbowed her friend hard, for she didn't want James to suck all of the leadership as he was used to. However, James seemed to shake his head in disagreeement.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he contradicted Alma. "I say Peter stays as Keeper, with Alma and Sirius in mid-front. I'm sure Evans and I can work some strategy for centre attack, can't we?" he looked at Lily with his eyebrows raised, as if he awaited for a response. Lily could only nod, to which James answered with a smile. "Delightful! Well, said this, let's all take our positions." James looked over at the other team and yelled at Gale, "Say Gale, is everything okay with you?"

"Yeah, let's get started!" the other Quidditch player answered.

The two teams flew up with their broomsticks until they were a quite a few feet above the ground. Peter and Marianne occupied their places as Keepers next to the oddly-shaped trees, whilst Sirius and Alma backed to their defensive positions. Juliet and Remus did the same, and Lily and James met Gale and Connie in the middle of the field.

"Ready?" James asked. Gale nodded, and the hazel-eyed boy tossed the Quaffle over his head to get the game started.

Lily quickly flew up to catch the ball and started soaring to the other team's goal posts. She easily got rid of Juliet, who wasn't the best in flying, but had some difficulties with witty Remus, who was rather hard to outsmart when it came to flying movements. She finally saw a twinkle of James's messy black hair behind Remus, and realized she could only pass the ball to him and hope he would score a point. Indeed, he did: the ball sliced the air until it easily flew through the goal posts, easily dodging a rather surprised Marianne.

James whooped and offered Lily a high-five, to which the girl rolled her eyes as she flew away, ready to catch the Quaffle again. However, Remus was quicker: the boy had already scooped the Quaffle into his hands and had skillfully tossed it over to Gale. The Gryffindor Beater soared past Sirius and Alma, who uselessly tried to stop him, until he reached Peter, who tried to stop the ball with his hands. However, as Gale aimed at the goal post, James appeared from out of nowhere and hit the Quaffle with the back of his broomstick, making it fly right into a rather surprised Lily's hands. The girl flew to the other team's goal posts and scored another ten points for her team effortlessly.

She met James in the centre of the pitch. The boy wore a happy smile in his lips, and offered her a high-five. This time, the girl accepted it.

"Not bad, Evans," he admitted. "You could make a good substitute Chaser one day."

Lily rolled her eyes. Why did James have to ruin every single happy moment with his cocky words? He would have surely become one of her best friends had it not been for his all-day-long greediness.

The game was kept going for another good half an hour. Everyone seemed to be having plenty of fun. They were ten thirteen-year-olds, living young and wild and free. No worries, just laughter and happiness filled the air. James's team won two hundred and ten against one hundred and sixty for Gale's team, but none of them really cared about the score. For once, all of the third year Gryffindors were relaxing together and having fun, putting childish hatreds aside.

The first problem came when Marianne felt how she started looping in circles with her own broomstick as a bludger hit the tail of her broomstick. Everyone else seemed surprised about it, since James and Sirius would have never thought of bringing a bludger to a friendly match. She was soon followed by Peter, who was hit rather painfully by one around the height of his waist. The little boy cried out in pain.

"You fine, Wormtail?" asked Sirius worriedly, looking at his friend.

Peter was only able to manage a small nod, but everyone saw he was almost crying from all the pain he felt. Everyone looked at James, but he was far too focused on finding whoever had tossed the bludgers out until a third one hit him on his shoulder.

"Ouch!" he cried.

Everyone else turned around, especially Lily, who was rather worried. She wondered who could have done such a thing to her poor Housemates – even that dreaded James Potter didn't deserve a bludger on his shoulder – but then her broomstick was hit by a fourth bludger, which sent her falling down to the ground. Lily started screaming, thinking she would just hit the ground and die – they were more than fifty feet up in the air, so the fall would have been rather lethal – but a few seconds later she felt how a strong hand caught hold of her and made her hop onto another broomstick.

"Potter!" she cried as her savior soared up again.

Lily felt completely shocked. Her enemy had not only saved her life, but risked his own too – you only had to take a close look at his shoulder. It was easy to see it had been badly injured by the bludger, perhaps even broken. But James didn't complain once, and just told her to hold tight until they reached the ground. Lily couldn't do anything but obey his instructions.

When the ten of them reached the floor, Marianne wouldn't stop moaning about how her brother Dexter – who was one of Ravenclaw's chasers – would get really mad at her for breaking his broomstick, and Peter rubbed his waist uncomfortably. Lily knew James's arms hurt him an awful lot, but surprisingly he didn't complain once, and the first thing he did after jumping off his broomstick was helping Lily out and walking to Remus and Sirius with a frown.

"Where did the bludgers go?" he asked, with a frown visible in his face. "Where did they _come_ from, anyway?"

As if someone wanted to answer James's question, a bludger ripped the air and flew towards him. Luckily, the young Gryffindor chaser had been trained to notice them quickly, so he easily dodged it and felt cold sweat trickling down his back when the bludger passed by.

"James!" Lily couldn't help but cry out in anxiousness. The last thing she wanted to see was James knocked out by a bludger, as little as she liked to admit it.

The boy looked at her. His usual lopsided grin wasn't there anymore, but it had been replaced by an angry frown. The boy whipped out his wand and turned around, ready to find whoever was trying to hurt him and his friends.

Just a few seconds later, Connie saw a flicker of greasy black hair behind a bush, followed by a bunch of curly blond locks and menacing male eyes. She squeaked.

"Look, guys!"

Everyone turned and looked at the three students Connie was pointing to with her index finger. From behind the bush came a rather cool-looking Elosy Beaurette, a Slytherin second year, Roland Gallagher, a fourth-year, and a snickering Lucas Nott. They were soon followed by a guilty-looking boy with greasy black hair whom was easily recognized by a shocked Lily.

"Severus!" she gasped.

"Severus, my dear friend!" mimicked Lucas, his face full with a rather nasty expression. "Oh, just shut up."

"Lily, I -" started Severus rather uselessly, for his mouth was quickly covered by Roland's hand.

"Shut up, Sevsie," said the oldest of the Slytherins. Then he rose his eyebrows at James and laughed, "Liked our little prank, Potter?"

James clenched his fists and tried hard not to punch Roland in the face.

"I guess that's your strategy for this year's cup," he said coolly. "Knock all of the other players out, so you Slytherin arseholes can win the Quidditch Tournament. That'd be the only way for you to win really, since most of your friends are just a bunch of conceited daddy's children. So if I were you I'd back off before I get really angry."

Roland pulled out his wand and pointed it at James with an angry frown in his face.

"You'd better shut up," he told James. "No fucking blood traitor will tell me what to do." The fourth year then let out a loud laugh. "I mean, you Gryffindors are just pathetic. You're just a bunch of filthy mudbloods," he pointed at Lily, Connie and Juliet with his wand. "Mediocre mudbloods," he pointed at Peter, Gale and Alma. "and fucking blood traitors," he concluded, pointing at James, Sirius, Remus and Marianne. Roland then let out another loud cackle. "Why should I feel scared about a bunch of idiots like you? You're so pathetic."

All of the faces turned to James, who was now red and looked at Roland with narrowed eyes. Anyone twenty meters around them could tell James wanted to strangle the Slytherin very badly right then.

"DON'T YOU EVER DARE TO CALL MY FRIENDS THAT AGAIN!" he suddenly boomed, walking towards Gallagher with an outraged expression. "TELL THEM YOU'RE SORRY! TELL LILY, CONNIE AND JULIET YOU'RE FREAKING SORRY!"

But Roland not only did not listen to James's words, but snickered happily.

"Oh, the little blood traitor is angry," he laughed. He turned at Severus with a nasty expression. "Watch out Sevsies, I think the Potter boy wants to steal your mudblood girlfriend."

"Roland, I believe there is no need in using those terms," murmured Severus.

But Roland ignored him and snickered back at James, who now had his wand pushing up against Roland's chin. He was practically panting with anger. The boy wanted to hex the Slytherin so badly, but yet he couldn't find any hex painful enough for someone like Roland Gallagher. Then he remembered a hex Remus and he had created over the last months. It wasn't precisely safe to practice, but at least he'd get to try it once.

"_Vegeta_," James murmured under his breath, in such a low voice even Roland couldn't hear it.

All of a sudden, the small grass under Roland's feet started growing larger and larger, wrapping tightly around the Slytherin's feet and moving onto his legs after a few seconds. The boy started yelling out in surprise, but he couldn't do anything. A few seconds later, he found himself completely wrapped by immense grass leaved up to his chest, screaming loudly.

All of the Gryffindors laughed noisily. Even Severus chuckled, but he soon started yelling again when he along with the other two Slytherins who came with Gallagher felt grass wrapping tightly around their bodies. In no time, the four Slytherins stood still in the spot, completely covered by green. The Gryffindors couldn't hold their laughter and Gale and Marianne were even rolling in the floor with laughter. James was high-fived by most of his House mates, and Peter and Remus high-fived each other for a very well done job with their new hex. Juliet and Connie held each other in a pure state of laughter, while even Lily and Alma looked at the Slytherins with amused expressions.

Lily felt like Roland did deserve what he had gotten, but she felt bad for Severus. As her eyes met her friend's, she thought of asking James to free him, but immediately knew the answer before even asking him. Potter was such a dimwit, he wouldn't free them for a long time.

James and Sirius walked around the Slytherins with cocky expressions in their faces. Sirius snickered at Elosy, who was hexed to shut her mouth when she spat on Sirius's face. Severus stood very still, and didn't answer to James and Sirius's mean jokes until they felt bored. Lily hated to see them bullying one of her best friends, but she knew it would be useless to try and help him. Besides, Severus _might_ have deserved the hex – his friend _had_ called her a mudblood, after all.

When James reached Roland, the third year Gryffindor couldn't hold back one of his lopsided grins and patted Gallagher on the back happily.

"Said what, Gallagher?" James asked. "Said what about muggleborns?"

"I only said the truth," the Slytherin breathed.

"Oh dear, I fear I can't hear you," James said. "Do you mean you want to say sorry to Juliet, Connie and Lily?" He pointed at Roland's temple with his wand again. "Or perhaps I can hex you and make you and your fellow House mates purple. That'd be neat, wouldn't it?"

Roland didn't say anything, but grinned happily at something James couldn't see from where he was standing. When he turned around, he found the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, walking towards them with an outraged expression.

"Oh me goodness!" he cried out. "What'ya done now, James?"

"These Slytherins have been calling our friends rather mean names," informed Sirius with a matter-of-factly tone. "And have tossed bludgers at us."

"Bludgers!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Hear ye! How did ye eva think o' that, Gallagher? Y'know, we coulda had a big problem here!"

"But they _hexed _us afterwards!" cried out the Slytherin. "Doesn't that count?"

"Ye'd better go, Potter," said Hagrid. "Ye and yer friends might get into trouble with good ol' Slughorn if he finds out. I'll tell him, I'm sure the bloke'll understand. I'll try ter fix these kiddos meanwhile."

James grinned, not being able to believe his luck. He hadn't only hexed the Slytherins successfully, but was going to get away with it unpunished! The boy looked at Hagrid, beaming, and when the gamekeeper nodded he signaled to his friends to go back inside.

"Wait until my father hears about this!" suddenly cried out Lucas Nott angrily. "I swear I won't stop until you filthy blood traitors are expelled from Hogwarts!"

"Now, now, Nott," said Hagrid to the Slytherin. "Will ye calm down, lil' boy? Why, yer too mean fer the tiny ye are, kiddo."

Nott started fuming, but said nothing. The Slytherins watched the Gryffindors walk away with mean grins and waving them goodbye. Lily was the last one to follow James. She looked at Severus with a worried expression, but her Slytherin friend shook his head, as if trying to tell her everything was okay. Lily sighed and finally walked away, promising herself she'd go talk to Severus after dinner.

...

James flopped onto the common room's couch triumphantly with a lopsided grin spread over his face.

"We're geniuses, Prongs," muttered Remus. "We've been able to create a hex...at age thirteen!"

"You guys were amazing," said Juliet. "I mean, James was pointing at that Slytherin bloke with his wand and suddenly they were all covered by grass...Merlin, it was just hilarious!"

Everyone else laughed. Well, everyone except for Lily. She still felt guilty about Severus, but no-one seemed to notice. She was cuddled in the corner of the couch, with Connie, Alma, Marianne, Peter and Remus sitting on the floor. She shared the couch with James, Gale and Juliet, whilst Sirius occupied another couch just by himself. She felt James laughing next to her, but for the first time in three years, she didn't mind. Lily knew she probably would be dead had it not been for James's help, and that was something she would never forget. Sure, she did dislike him, but she felt like something inside her had changed over the last hour.

James seemed to notice her rather depressed attitude, because he gave her a warm smile and for the first time he did not pick on her.

"Hey, Evans," he said. "How did you like our hex? Pretty elaborated for a couple of third years, ain't it?"

Lily shrugged, "Yeah, I guess it's not bad."

"Ha!" James laughed. "I knew it. You loved it, it's just you don't want to admit it."

Lily wanted to scowl at him, but for the first time she didn't. Actually, she did something she would have never expected to do.

"Thanks, Potter," she whispered.

James turned around with a surprised expression, "Lily Evans is _thanking_ me? What for, may I know?"

"For saving my life," she mumbled, blushing. "Had it not been for your help, I- I probably would be dead right now."

James nodded, "Oh, well. I didn't feel like watching your brains flooding the school lands, so I guessed I'd do better by saving you."

Lily frowned, and turned her back at him. James laughed, but the girl didn't look at him again for the whole evening. Why did he always have to ruin everything with his stupid comments? A 'you're welcome' would have been more than enough. Oh, that stupid James Potter.

Later that night, Lily would remember all of the events that had happened over that day. She would remember all of her friends laughing and having fun – but most of all, how James had stood up for her by saving her life and had gave Gallagher and the other Slytherins what they deserved after they called her a mudblood. Yes, Severus certainly didn't deserve it, but in the very bottom of her heart Lily knew James had done the right thing.

Nevertheless, her oath was still going on. She would never, _ever_ become friends with James Potter.

...

**Author's Note**: Chapter Three done! I hope you guys like it, I think it sucked lemons...but oh well, I guess that's what you get after an exam week.

Next chapter, _Fourth Year or First Winter Blues_ will come up either Tuesday or Wednesday – most likely the latter. So for now, have a nice weekend and stay tuned! And of course, all of your reviews will be more than welcome.

I also want to give a massive shout-out to my great reviewers JasNorden352, AKToad, cassia4u and I'm Myself Deal With It! You guys rule, thank you so much :)


	4. Fourth Year or First Winter Blues

**Chapter Four: Fourth Year**

or _First Winter Blues_

...

The Hogwarts Express whistled loudly as it left the Hogsmeade station. Most of the students were returning to their homes for the Christmas break, but some of them had walked down to the station to say goodbye to their friends and then return to the castle. That small group consisted of no more than forty students from all seven years and four houses.

Two of these students were James Potter and Lily Evans. The boy's parents were Aurors, and they were off to a mission in Norway. James didn't exactly know what they were up to, since his parents weren't usually allowed to talk to him about their job. He only knew he would have to spend two weeks by himself with his enemy and recent crush Lily Evans. Surprisingly enough, Sirius Black, his best friend and prank mate, was off to his house in Grimmauld Place, because he had arranged a meeting with his uncle Alphard, who was one of the little members of the Black family who was of young Sirius's liking. Remus was going to France with his parents, and Peter would spend Christmas huddled into his little house in Dover with his parents and his siblings. Gale, who was a good friend of James's too, was leaving on that sunny winter morning, too.

Lily, by other hand, had stayed because her parents had some problems at home. There had been some bad cockroaches plague and they had thought it would be better for her to stay in the school while they tried to fix it, although Lily had offered some help. She really wanted to spend Christmas with her family – even with her sister Petunia, despite the fact her older sister would always call her a freak – but she had finally agreed to stay in the school. What she didn't know was that all of her friends would be leaving. Alma was off to her muggle father's house in London – Alma's parents were divorced, and despite the fact of having wizarding blood from her mum's side, she liked her father better – and Juliet was going home with her parents in Derbyshire. Marianne and her twin brother Dexter were both going back home in Oxford, and Connie was ecstatic about seeing her family again, back in Guildford.

And so, the two fourteen-year-olds – Lily was barely a month away from turning fifteen – found themselves standing in the cold snow along with another handful of sad students who already made their way back to the castle. It was still December 20, but Lily couldn't wait for the break to be over just to see her friends again. She knew it seemed quite egoistical, but she knew she wouldn't be able to stay stuck with the sole company of James Potter for fifteen days.

"Well, Evans," James sighed to her side, slipping his hands into his jacket's pockets. "It seems like it's just the two of us left here."

"Yeah," she answered rather dryly. "Tough luck, right?"

James shook his head and gave her one of his lopsided grins. Lily just rolled her eyes.

"I can't wait," James commented. "Just you and I, fifteen days ahead of us...oh, it's going to be one great Christmas break."

Lily frowned. She wasn't looking forward to those fifteen days with Potter, not at all.

Perhaps she should start befriending some of the Ravenclaw girls she had seen in the station earlier. Yeah, that probably would be a good idea.

...

Lily spent the days previous to the Christmas feast trying to bond with some of the other girls who had stayed in the castle for the break. One of the Ravenclaws, Emma Quinn, was actually a quite nice girl, and since her friends were out for the break too they both started hanging out together almost all day long, which made James doubt he'd ever get to hold a real conversation with Lily. Since there was such a little amount of students, they were all allowed to eat in the same tables in the Great Hall, hang out together in the corridors and even slip into other Houses' common rooms every now and then. Students were allowed to wear their Muggle clothes, much to Professor McGonagall's disgust, but were told they should wear their school uniform to the Christmas feast.

Lily fixed her scarlet and gold tie on her shirt collar before jolting downstairs. There were only three girls and four boys left in the castle from Gryffindor: two second year girls, a fifth year boy and a sixth year boy, Lily and James. The two girls, Daisy and Phoebe, had already left for the feast, and so had the two other boys, Louis and Trent. Lily had hoped James was downstairs already too, but she wasn't that lucky. She found him sitting on a couch in the common room, watching the fire and listening thoughtfully to it crackling silently.

"Hey, Evans," he called her when he noticed the girl's presence. "Mind it if I escort you to the feast?"

Lily rolled her eyes, and James thought that meant a yes. The boy stood up and escorted her – as he had told her – down to the Great Hall, where the other students had been gathered in a single table and a small dance area had been organized by a couple of Hufflepuff prefects who had stayed for the break. Lily took a seat next to Emma and another fourth year boy from Ravenclaw, Robert. James slipped into a seat next to her, which kind of bothered Lily, but she seemed to relax when he started chatting happily with a sixth year Hufflepuff named Quincy Everett.

The food was delicious. The house elves' food was usually brilliant, but today's had been exceptional. The roast beefs had been especially juicy, and the chicken nuggets tasted like heaven. Sauces filled the students' plates, and everyone ate eagerly until they felt completely and utterly exhausted. Everyone complained about their stomaches aching when they heard how some music started playing. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but one of the prefects was muggleborn, and so he used some of his old vinyls to play music for the party. Most of the assistants went to the dance floor and sung along to a famous Beatles song, _I Want To Hold Your Hand_. After that came a couple of slow songs, and so Robert asked Emma if he'd like to dance with her. The two Ravenclaws walked onto the dance floor, and Lily observed them with a sappy smile. How she wished she'd meet a boy who felt that way for her...

James looked around worriedly. Quincy Everett was goofing around with a Slytherin girl – who actually did seem nice despite the House she had been placed in – and it was only him, Lily and two shy second year Hufflepuffs, along with the Gryffindors Daisy and Phoebe. He turned to them and listened to their conversation.

"Hi, I'm Oscar," one of them said. "and this is my best friend, Martin."

"Hi, I'm Phoebe," answered one of the Gryffindor girls. "She's Daisy, and she's my best friend too."

The four of them started chatting happily, until Martin suggested dancing along to a Wizarding song that was on. The other three agreed, and the four second years joined everyone else in the dance floor. The groups of students who weren't dancing were scattered around the Great Hall, and only a handful of them had gone back to their dormitories to get some sleep. James tapped the table nervously. He would have liked to asked Lily to dance, but he knew she would give him a straight no. But then again, he did feel tempted. What if she said yes? His stomach seemed to do a flop when he thought of that possibility. Perhaps he could impress her and achieve that long-desired kiss...

"Um, Lily..." he called the girl.

Lily turned to him. She knew he only used her first name when he meant something serious, so she gave him the little attention she thought James Potter deserved.

"Yes, James?" she answered as politely as she could.

"Um, I was wondering..." he started. "Um...if you'd like to...you know...er...dance with me?"

Lily was startled by the boy's question. Of all people, she would have never imagined James Potter would ask her to dance. She certainly didn't know what the boy was up to, but she guessed it wouldn't do her any wrong to dance with him for a couple of songs. It was Christmas Eve after all, and everyone else was up and dancing happily. Why shouldn't she do the same?

"Yeah, sure," she answered coolly, giving him a small smile. "It'll be fun."

James grinned, ecstatic about the fact that he was actually going to _dance_ with Lily Evans, his crush since they had started their fourth year. His heart started beating faster as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor, where everyone danced to a nice and fast Wizarding song. They both goofed around for a while, and James loved every time he made Lily smile or even laugh every now and then. However, after the song finished, came another one which was much slower and James didn't know at all, but to which Lily gasped excitedly.

"Oh, Merlin!" she whispered. "It's _Total Eclipse of the Heart_!"

"What's that?" James asked, confused.

Lily realized not many wizards would know a muggle song, but she briefly explained it was a song that was played in most muggle balls and parties for couples to dance. When James found out about it, he gave Lily a lopsided grin and offered her his hand.

"Well, ma'am," he said, very gentlemanly. "Would you dance with me?"

Lily raised an eyebrow at him. She had never been very fond of James Potter, but she somehow felt his attitude towards her had changed over the last months, although he was as arrogant and cocky as ever. She sighed and finally took his hand, deciding a dance wouldn't hurt them. It was Christmas, and in less than two weeks their friends would be back and everything would return to normality.

The boy felt incredibly satisfied about the girl's acceptance. He had never doubted his ability to charm every female in the castle, but Lily had been one a little harder to achieve. James placed his hands around her waist cautiously as she placed her hands over his shoulders. They started dancing to the song slowly, James barely being able to breath at the sight of that sprout of red head so close to him.

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round_

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears_

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by_

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes _

_(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart_

_(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart _

James brushed his lips against the girl's red hair, and smiled when he realized she had either not noticed or had ignored it. He wanted to kiss her so badly, to hold her forever...James was only fourteen years old, and therefore couldn't really understand what love really felt like. But the rush of blood he was feeling in that very moment was the closest to love he had ever felt.

_And I need you now tonight and I need you more than ever_

_And if you only hold me tight We'll be holding on forever _

_And we'll only be making it right 'cause we'll never be wrong _

_Together we can take it to the end of the line _

_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time) _

_I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark_

_We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks _

_I really need you tonight, forever's gonna start tonight _

_Forever's gonna start tonight... _

Lily's heart had started beating a million times faster. Had she just felt James's lips on her hair? No, that couldn't be possible. It had just been her imagination, her tricky and nasty imagination. But why would she want him to kiss her hair, anyway? She hated him. No, she didn't _hate_ him, she couldn't hate someone who hadn't done anything other than picking around a little. But she did dislike him...

Didn't she?

_Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart _

_There's nothing I can do... a total eclipse of the heart _

_Once upon a time there was light in my life, but now there's only love in the dark _

_Nothing I can say... a total eclipse of the heart._

James's hazel eyes met Lily's, and the boy knew that was the moment. Before the girl could say anything, he leaned forward and let his lips gently meet hers. It was James's first kiss, and Lily's too. But it didn't go as James would have expected.

Lily felt how she started blushing deeply as James's lips crashed against hers. She didn't know what to do, but for a split of a second she did feel like floating, feeling the hazel-eyed boy's lips against hers. However, she quickly snapped out of it. James was her _enemy_! How come he kissed her? She quickly pulled away and looked at him, outraged.

"How dare you, Potter?" she cried angrily. "You're just a bothersome toerag!"

She lifted her hand up and slapped the boy hard across his face. Then, she rushed out of the Great Hall, fighting back the tears provoked by confusion and anger. James, however, stood there, holding his reddened right cheek with a goofy expression. Yes, he had been slapped in the face and yes, Lily was probably extremely mad at him right then, but he had had his first kiss with the girl he had liked for months. He smiled as he stood still in the dance floor, not noticing everyone was staring at him.

Besides, she hadn't pulled away for a couple of seconds. And James was certainly going to fight for those two or three seconds to be repeated.

...

**Author's Note**: So, here's chapter four! I know it's rather crappy, but oh well. As you may have noticed, things are starting to get a lot more interesting between Lily and James, so stay tuned for their fifth year!

Also, if you guys are into Hunger Games, you really should check out JasNorden352's SYOT, she still needs some tributes and it looks like it's gonna be an amazing story! So I'd be really happy if you people submitted a tribute for her story :D

Next chapter, _Fifth Year or Standing Up For Enemies_ will come either Tuesday or Wednesday. Cheers!


	5. Fifth Year or Standing Up For Enemies

**Chapter Five: Fifth Year**

or _Standing Up For Enemies_

...

Things had never been the same between Lily and James after he had kissed her in the Christmas feast of their fourth year. The girl had ignored him for months, and even after the summer break she wouldn't talk to him with anything other than monosyllables. James, by other hand, was growing to liking her more and more with every day that passed by, and was starting to feel desperate about showing her he wasn't a bad guy. None of his friends knew about the kiss, and the same went for Lily's friends. It had all been a non-arranged secret between the two fifteen-year-old enemies.

That year had been awful for Lily so far. Not only had her relationship with James and consequently with Sirius too toughened to a point in which she barely could stand being in the same room than them, but she had also shattered her friendship with Severus. It had all happened one sunny morning in the first days of their fifth year. As usually, James and Sirius bullied Severus to nonstop, and when Lily had gotten to help her poor friend the boy had dared to call her a mudblood without a hit of guilt. She had been crying for hours, and hadn't talked to him ever since, despite he once told Juliet he would sleep outside the Gryffindor common room if Lily didn't come out and talk to him.

She had also had her first boyfriend, one of the Ravenclaw boys, Jason Bates. Things hadn't turned out as well as she had expected: Jason was sweet and nice, but had turned out as rather boring. They had dated for three months, but then broke up when she and Jason couldn't come to terms in what they wanted as a couple. And so, soon after returning from the Christmas break, Lily was back to being single and as depressed as ever.

The girl placed her books in her bag as she got ready to leave the History of Magic class. Alma, who was sitting next to her, looked at her with a small frown.

"Do you want to come and have a walk with the girls?" she offered gently.

"No, thanks," Lily answered, her voice slightly muffled by her scarlet and gold scarf. "I need to finish my Potions essay."

"But Lily, it's due in two weeks!" Alma groaned. "It won't hurt you to have fun every now and then, you know."

Lily didn't listen to her friend's comments, and finally saw how she walked away with Connie and Marianne, exasperated. She had hoped Gale and Juliet would join them, but to her surprise the boy was walking out of the class chatting happily with James.

"Hey, Prongs," called Sirius to his best friend. "What're you planning to do?"

"Dunno, Padfoot," the fifteen-year-old answered. "Pulling some pranks maybe?"

"I had thought of playing some Exploding Snap in the common room," piped in Remus. "It's been a while since we last played, and it's freezing outside anyway."

The four Marauders agreed Remus's was the best idea. Gale said he was going for a walk with Juliet, and Lily put no objections. She knew her friends fancied each other since last year, but they were both too shy to admit it.

"Sure you don't want any help?" the boy asked for the fourth time.

"Sure, Gale," Lily answered, rolling her eyes. "Now go out there and tell Juliet you love her."

Gale seemed to blush profusely with his friend's comment. Lily and him had grown quite close over the past five years, to a point in which the boy could tell she was his best girl friend, aside from Juliet of course.

"Don't be silly," he muttered. "I won't tell her I love her." Then he gave his friend a small smile and started walking away. "But I'll try!"

Lily smiled as she watched how Gale disappeared through the castle's doors, off to the Lake, where he would be meeting Juliet after her Herbology class. She found herself alone in the corridors, only accompanied by a group of third years who made their way to the Ravenclaw common room. She decided she would go to the Gryffindor common room, since it would be a lot warmer there than in the library.

Lily walked slowly and with a tired expression, after all the lessons of the day. She only wanted to get to the common room and flop onto a couch, but of course that wouldn't be possible.

As the girl walked down the second floor, she found herself face-to-face with a group that was never nice to face, even less than the Marauders. There they were, looking as greedy and cruel as ever: Johann Avery, a cruel seventh-year, Narcissa Black, his current girlfriend, Elosy and Fabius Beaurette, Roland Gallagher, Lucas Nott and Tenebris Mulciber. The seven of them seemed to be having a nice stroll down the school's corridors, when they jumped into Lily. Elosy was the first one to recognize her, and gave the Gryffindor a sly smile.

"Look what we've got here, brother," she said, talking to Fabius with a nasty smile. "A _mudblood_."

Lily stood still, burning holes in her shoes with her eyes. She knew those seven were capable of anything – they could even hex her in the spot just for her blood status. Lily breathed in and out slowly. The Slytherins laughed.

"Poor thing," said Avery dryly. "I bet she feels lost in our world. Right, Cissy?" he turned to his girlfriend, who gave Lily a mean nod.

"You don't fit here, you filthy mudblood," hissed Mulciber, trying to scare Lily.

Nott and Gallagher started walking around her in circles, pointing at her fiery red hair or her emerald green eyes.

"The freak could pass for a Weasley," Gallagher commented. "I don't know what's worse, to be a mudblood or to be a filthy blood traitor like that Arthur Weasley. One of the most ancient Wizarding families in England, and he stains the name of Wizardry with existing. How dare he."

"But at least Weasleys _are_ real wizards, Roland," Nott retorted, giving Lily a nasty smile. "_She_ doesn't belong here. She'd be better off in her filthy muggle world."

Lily tried it hard to fight back tears. She knew it would be useless to cry; it would only make her look weak in front of those Slytherins. She just stood there, hoping they would ultimately get bored of bullying her for her blood status. Lily didn't say anything and desperately tried to cope with the Slytherins' insults. They were all mean and bullying, but the worst were Avery and Mulciber. She knew what they had done to a fellow sixth year Gryffindor, Mary Macdonald, and she definitely didn't want that happening to her too.

But things were being pushed too far. Mulciber now told her she was a filthy power-thief who didn't deserve what she had, and Avery went on saying how she would never be a real witch and would disgrace her children with the tragedy of having a mudblood mother – that is, if any man wanted to marry her, which the Slytherin doubted.

"You should be dead, you know," Mulciber hissed. "You mudbloods are slags in the Wizarding world."

Lily felt how she slowly started cracking up. She wouldn't be able to take it much longer, it made her feel so wrong to see most of the Slytherins were laughing and agreeing to Mulciber's comments. She thought she would just curl up in the floor and start sobbing loudly when she heard a strong voice booming at the other side of the corridor.

"I _DARE_ YOU TO REPEAT THAT, MULCIBER!"

Lily turned around and found the Marauders approaching her and the seven Slytherins with a fiery expression. The four of them seemed outraged by Mulciber's words, but James seemed by far the most affected one. He seemed ready to kill all of those Slytherins one by one, his face red with anger and holding his wand tightly.

"I was just stating the truth, Potter," Mulciber retorted coolly at the Marauders. "But I can see you and your buddies are here to save the day. Pathetic, aren't you?" All of the other Slytherins laughed. "The two blood traitors, the half-blood and the dimwit who dared disgrace the name of the Black family. You boys think you'll be able to beat us in a fight?"

James reached Lily and stepped in front of her as if trying to shelter her from Mulciber's words. For once, Lily didn't mind feeling his hand holding her arm softly, and she stood behind him, letting tears roll down her cheeks.

"You'll pay for your words, Mulciber," James hissed. "No-one deserves to be called a – a – a _that_, because blood status should mean nothing to us. We're all wizards and witches, and that's all that matters."

The other three Marauders nodded in agreement, and the Slytherins laughed in a rather spooky unison, but they were violently cut off by a neat whip of Sirius's wand and a small mutter.

"Engorgio."

Mulciber and Avery's heads started growing to unthinkable widths, and both students started screaming loudly. Sirius was soon followed by Remus, who placed an Entomorphus hex on Nott, Narcissa and Fabius, who were soon racing through the corridor, having turned into big black cockroaches. Even Peter was able to conjure a Jelly-Legs Jinx on Elosy Beaurette, who fell down to the ground with a loud shriek. The five Gryffindors laughed at the sight of those useless Slytherins – even Lily giggled a little from behind James.

"Nice jinxes from your friends, Potter," chuckled Avery, floating up from his engorged head. "But what can _you_ do? You're just a useless prat."

"Oh, yeah?" James asked. "Your choice, Avery. Levicorpus!"

Avery started flying up to the ceiling at a breathtaking speed, and ended up hanging from one of the corridor's chandeliers. The five Gryffindors laughed again.

"Who's the useless prat now, Avery?" cried out James.

"Well done, Prongs," said Sirius, high-fiving his best friend.

The four Marauders cheered their victory in front of the groaning and shrieking Slytherins. The three cockroaches dashed up and down nervously, whilst Mulciber constantly fell to the ground due to his engorged head. Elosy still couldn't get up from the floor with her legs sprung out and wobbling against the corridor's floor. Avery hung by his feet from the chandelier, his ridiculously enormous head lolling back and forth as he tried to get back to the floor.

"Come on boys, we'd better get back to the common room," said James. The other three nodded, and he turned back to Lily. "Come with us, Evans?"

Lily shrugged. She couldn't say no, but that did not mean she liked James Potter now. He had saved her – twice now, taking into the account what had happened in their third year – but she wasn't going to turn into one of his stalkers. He was still a jerk from her point of view.

"Uh, okay," she answered.

James grinned widely and escorted her to the staircase. When they were about to leave, he turned around once more to face the defeated Slytherins.

"Oi, Mulciber!" he called one of the two heads of the group. "If I ever – ever – am told about you Slytherins bullying Evans again, I'll make sure I get you a meeting with a bunch of angry centaurs in the Forbidden Forest."

"Hear, hear," laughed Sirius. "That's what happens when you eff with Prongs's girl."

Lily turned angrily at Sirius, "I am _not_ Potter's girl."

Sirius rolled his eyes and smiled charmingly at her. Lily just let out a loud sigh and followed them up the stairs to the common room, where she would spend the afternoon discussing her Potions essay with Remus as Sirius and James played never-ending games of Exploding Snap and Peter read one of his thick black books. She couldn't deny she would have ended hexed or terribly bullied by the Slytherins had it not been for the presence of the Marauders, but she still thought of James as a cocky and arrogant boy who should really start considering growing up.

"Hey, Lily," said Remus. "What's on your mind?"

The girl turned back to her friend and frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "I'm fine."

Remus shook his head, "You were staring at Prongs and Padfoot just a second ago. Anything the matter?"

Lily felt how she started blushing. It obviously hadn't been an intentional stare, but she did have to admit she found James Potter rather...charming. What? Was she admitting James was actually good-looking? She wanted to slap herself, but only forced a small smile and asked Remus about the steps to make the Felix Felicis, forgetting about the Marauders for a couple of minutes.

However, when Lily's eyes met James's hazel ones, she groaned loudly and tried to turn back to work.

In fact, she did find them tremendously attractive.

...

**Author's Note**: There it goes! I hope you liked their lame fifth year, it was quite quick to write and fun too! I still think this story is getting quite crappy, but oh well. Anyways, thanks to my usual reviewers – JasNorden352 and AKToad. You guys are amazing!

Next chapter, _Sixth Year or The Whomping Willow_ will come soon. I can't tell if it'll be either tomorrow or Tuesday, but I'll try to update as soon as possible. Cheers!


	6. Sixth Year or The Whomping Willow

**Chapter Six: Sixth Year**

Or _The Whomping Willow_

...

It was early April and full moon. Lily had some patrolling to do with Remus, and was getting her bag ready in the Gryffindor common room. Her friends were doing as usually: Gale and Juliet were cuddled in the sofa, Connie read a book in the couch and Marianne revised her Defense Against Dark Arts essay for the millionth time. Alma sat down impatiently next to her best friend.

"When is Remus coming?" Lily's best friend demanded.

Lily did a sigh. She could barely stand her best friend ever since she had confessed fancying one of the Marauders, the one closest to the two girls to be precise. At first, it had been rather cute to listen to her babbling about how cute he looked that day, but after a couple of months Lily had started to feel annoyed by her never-ending chatter.

"Our shift starts in ten minutes," Lily answered. "So he'd better come soon."

As if on cue, the four Marauders appeared through the portrait hole. First came their "leader", James Potter, smiling nonchalantly at Lily, as every other time the boy laid eyes on her. Behind him came Sirius, who smiled flirtatiously at two fifth year girls, who giggled in response. Third came Remus with his hands stuffed into his pants' pockets, looking rather thoughtful and worried. And last came Peter with his usual giddy smile. Lily could bet they had just pulled a nasty prank on someone for those stupid and cocky smiles they all wore.

"Why, hello, Evans," said James when he flopped onto the couch next to them. He offered the two girls a charming smile, to which Alma sighed and Lily frowned in disgust.

"Greetings, Potter," she answered rather dryly, not wanting to hear what she knew he was about to say.

James sat up and looked at her with one of his cocky smiles. Lily knew what was coming, she had experienced it more than once over the last few months. He asked her out practically once or twice a day – he was the closest thing to a stalker Lily had ever been bothered by.

"Um, Lily," he said. "I was wondering if you'd like to be my date to the Easter Ball. Y'know, you and I...slow dancing...like in our fourth year, remember?"

Lily's teeth gritted at the mention of both of the sixteen-year-olds' first kiss. It hadn't gone what you'd say precisely well for either of them, and it had all been kept a secret, at least by Lily. None of their friends knew, and still James used to pick on her by mentioning it, knowing it really ticked the girl off. She couldn't stand his cocky attitude, so she slapped him just as hard as she had slapped him back in the Christmas feast two years ago and scowled.

"I'd rather go with the giant squid than you," she hissed. "You bothersome toerag."

"Ouch, that hurt," laughed Sirius from behind his best friend. When James glared at him, the boy chuckled. "No hard feelings, Prongs."

James did a loud sigh for everyone in the common room to listen. He wasn't going down without a fight, and he most definitely wanted Lily Evans to go out with him at once. What bothered her so much about him, anyway? He was a good guy. Nice, popular, good grades – deeply arrogant and conceited, she would have said, but James did not agree. He was only very confident, and that was all.

"I understand my feelings for you are not reciprocal," he said in the poshest voice he could manage. "But I can tell you, Miss Lily Evans, that I will do anything by any mean to win your heart."

Some of the boys chuckled, and most of the girls sighed. Lily shot daggers at chuckling Marianne and Alma, and tried to keep herself focused as Connie and Juliet 'aww'-ed in unison.

"I don't think that will be possible, Potter," she answered coolly.

"Just let me find the key to your heart and everything will go fine," he insisted, giving her a lopsided smile.

Lily felt extremely annoyed. James Potter asked her out about three – even four – times a week, but she didn't buy all that 'oh-my-god-I-love-you-Evans' thing. She didn't know why did he do it, he probably just wanted to show off by demonstrating he could get any girl he wanted, or maybe it was a bet between Sirius and him...or perhaps he just wanted to humiliate her. Yeah, that was pretty possible. James Potter was only a bullying toerag, and nothing would change that. He was the kind of boy who had weekly flings, nothing else. Lily had only had a couple of boyfriends over the past years, but at least they had been loyal and nice to her.

She stood up, ready to do her weekly shift with Remus and hoping to get horrendous Potter out of her mind for a while. However, she was surprised to find him standing next to the portrait hole with a bewildered expression, as if he had just seen Peeves tossing a box of chalk over him.

"Remus, you fine?" she asked when she saw her friend's expression.

"Lily," he whispered. "I – I won't be able to do my shift today. Please – please tell Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail to join me in the place as soon as possible."

Lily frowned. "In the place? What place, Remus?"

Remus shuddered and stepped out of the common room with a small whisper, "They'll know."

Said this, the Gryffindor prefect rushed down the stairs. Lily felt most certainly scared about her friend's change of humor, and hurried to tell the other three Marauders what he had told her.

"Oh, shit!" Sirius whispered. "We completely forgot, Prongs."

"Let's go," James told the other three, with a serious expression Lily had never seen on his face before.

The three Gryffindors were about to leave the common room when Lily dashed towards them, her eyebrows raised in suspicion. There was certainly something really weird going on with the Marauders, as every other month. Lily suddenly remembered what Severus had told her back in their fourth year, about Remus being a lycanthrope. She hadn't believed it back then, but now she had started doubting it could have really been true. After all, it was full moon and Remus had just dashed outside. But to where?

"Potter," she called the boy weakly. "Where are you going?"

For the first time, when James turned around she didn't see the conceited, arrogant James Potter she always pictured. He had a worried expression and ruffled his hair with his hand nervously.

"Lily, not now," he pleaded. "We really have to go."

"But to where?" she insisted. "I know something weird is going on with Remus –"

"Sorry Lily," muttered the boy. "But I really can't tell you."

Said this, the three boys dashed downstairs behind Remus. No one in the Gryffindor common room but Lily seemed to have noticed this, but the girl bit her lip in worry. What was wrong with those boys? What were they up to?

She heard some footsteps approaching her.

"Juliet and Gale are snogging again," Alma sighed with a bored expression. The girl peered over Lily's shoulder and smiled impatiently. "Well, where's Remus?"

"Um –" started Lily. She didn't want to lie to her best friend, but she wouldn't tell her her suspicions. "He's in the Prefect's bathroom. We're meeting in the sixth floor for our shift in five minutes."

"Oh, okay," Alma sighed contentedly. "Well, have fun."

The girl returned to the couch and sneered at Juliet and Gale, who were sucking faces next to an irking third year boy. Lily hated lying, but it was the only way out that situation. She really wanted to know what was wrong with Remus, and she felt determined to find out that night. Lily would be there to help her friend, but she had to know of his real condition first, and there was only one way to find out.

Lily dashed downstairs, following the three Marauders closely.

...

She had lost sight of them at the entrance of the Forbidden Forest, but she already knew where they were going. The girl gasped as she saw the huge tree in front of her rocking its branches back and forth with the gentle swish of the wind. The Whomping Willow stood there menacingly, but Lily couldn't care less. She felt determined to reach the place where the four Marauders were hiding, and no deadly tree would stop her from doing so.

She cradled through the grass slowly, luckily passing unnoticed by the fierce tree. She reached what seemed like a small passageway under one of the tree's wider roots. It looked just big enough for two sixteen-year-old boys to fit in, and Lily knew at once the Marauders were there when she saw some fresh footsteps in the mud that were oddly similar to James Potter's shoe soles. And with that, in the freezing cold of the night, Lily slipped into the secret passageway.

The girl wondered in the dark for a few seconds, following a straight passageway that led her to a wooden, filthy staircase. She shivered, doubting for the first time if it was really such a good idea to sneak into the Marauders' privacy like that. Perhaps she should go back to the castle and forget about it – James and the others would probably be back by the next morning, anyway.

However, something inside her chest made Lily step up onto the first step. She repeated this onto the second step until she unconsciously reached the last one, which led to a small doorway. The door was firmly closed, but there was a hole in the wooden door that was big enough for Lily to peer in without any problems. The girl kneeled and was about to look through the small hole when a loud howl cut the air like a knife.

She felt her heart beating faster, but still peered in. What she saw was certainly disturbing: she saw something that seemed like a freakish creature half-human, half-wolf, surrounded by three different animals; a stag that tried to retain the werewolf with its antlers and a dog that would bark at it whenever it tried to hurt the others. A third one, a small rat, mingled around fearfully, terrified at the sight of the nasty-looking werewolf.

Lily's heart raced as she realized Remus must have been the werewolf. But why? Why was her friend a werewolf? And most importantly, why hadn't he told her? Lily wouldn't have left him aside for his condition, and would have even tried to help him. She looked around desperately, wondering where the other three Marauders could be.

Then it hit her – why those three animals were there with Remus. They were the other three Marauders – they were all Animagi! Lily couldn't believe it, but it was the only possible explanation for their monthly disappearances. The three of them turned into animals to protect their friend and make his transformations less painful! That was so unlike the conceited and self-centered James Potter, but yet Lily knew it was the truth. James, Sirius and Peter risked their lives every month at full moon only to make their friend's transformations easier – and that was certainly something to admire.

She heard a loud _thud!_ and the next thing she saw was that the door she was peering through had been badly demolished. It had been tackled by Remus in one of his panic attacks, and now he was laying on the floor, a few feet away from her, and moaning loudly.

Lily crawled back to the staircase, her eyes wide in shock. She heard a long howl and felt how panic filled her body when she realized Remus's brown eyes were on her.

The stag and the dog quickly arrived to Remus's side. However, the werewolf had already laid eyes on his brand new prey, and was planning how he was going to eat her. Lily shivered uncontrollably and was only able to choke out useless pleas to the three of them. Fear had completely paralyzed her, and the sixteen-year-old could only think that was going to be her end. She was going to be killed right there, in the Shrieking Shack, by one of her best friends. She shivered uncontrollably, fighting back tears.

The next thing she saw was the stag lifting her up with its antlers and sitting her on its back. The werewolf was now trying to hunt them down, but the stag was incredibly fast and it had soon gotten lost in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, away from the werewolf and the Shrieking Shack.

Lily laid on the ground with a mournful expression, but she was conscious enough to see the stag turning into a tall, handsome teenager who had a bright red gash traveling across his left cheek and small bruises over his arms.

"Lily!" James Potter exclaimed, holding the half-unconscious girl in his arms and sitting next to her in the ground. "That was so stupid of you!"

The girl couldn't do anything but sob quietly. James held her in his arms, and Lily didn't object to it. She did need comfort after all she had seen that night. The boy held her tightly, and Lily finally broke into tears, sobbing quietly onto James's chest. After a few minutes of small mourns and sobs, she felt strong enough to try and talk.

"Remus is a werewolf." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Lily was sure all that she had seen that night was completely real, and James wouldn't persuade her of otherwise.

"Yes, he is," James admitted finally. It made no sense to hide the truth from Lily now that she had seen it all with her own eyes. "He has always been, ever since he was six and Greyback bit him."

"But- but why?" Lily asked. "Why didn't he tell us? He's one of my closest friends, and I could have helped him..."

"There's nothing you could have done, Lily," James whispered. "Every full moon Sirius, Peter and I are there to string along with him, and still we always get badly injured," he pointed at his left cheek. "Nothing serious, of course."

Lily chuckled. She started wondering if what Severus had told her was really true. Had James saved him from one of Remus's werewolf outbursts? After all that had happened over the past minutes, Lily wouldn't doubt it.

"You know," she finally told James. "It's so amazing to know you actually do something for others. This might be the bravest thing I've ever heard of, and it shocks me to see you aren't as conceited as I thought."

James shrugged. "I do try."

They both laughed silently. James still had his arms wrapped around Lily tightly, but the girl didn't say anything. She was starting to consider liking James more than she used to before knowing about Remus's condition and James, Peter and Sirius's role in it.

"You probably should go back with your friends," she whispered finally.

"I think they'll be able to handle it without me for a while," muttered the boy. "I'll take you to the castle and then I'll go join them again."

"Sure?" Lily asked. "I can get there myself."

James gave her a small smile. "Really. I want to make sure you get back to the Gryffindor common room. You've gotten yourself into too much trouble for tonight."

Lily chuckled, and helped herself up with James's help. The two of them made their way back to the castle, walking in a comfortable silence. James started wondering if he should really start growing up, like Remus had told him the other day. By the time being, seventeen-year-old and with a war laying ahead of him, James still acted like a ten-year-old. And if he wanted Lily to like him – now that he clearly knew he loved her – he should start by growing up.

When they reached the castle's doors, the girl looked up at him and gave James a small smile.

"Thanks, James," she mumbled. "I certainly didn't know that side of you."

"I hope that's a good thing," he commented with a smile.

Lily chuckled and gave the boy a quick hug before walking into the castle. She looked at him and caught the Potter boy staring at her twice before walking into the long, twisting corridors on her way back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Definitely," she whispered, when James was out of earshot.

...

**Author's Note**: And that was the oh-so-painfully-crappy sixth chapter. Honestly, out of all the chapters I've written so far, I think this one is the worst of them, but whatever, next one will be painfully sappy, I can tell you. Meh, I'll finally be able to free the hopeless romantic inside of me. Yay. Also, I'd like to give a shoutout as always to my amazing reviewers, you guys are truly amazing!

By the way, my friend JasNorden352 still needs some amazing tributes for her SYOT. So please, check it out and send in some tributes! I'm sure you won't regret it.

Next chapter, _Seventh Year or The Art of Kissing_ will come over this week. Cheers!


	7. Seventh Year or The Art Of Kissing

**Chapter Seven: Seventh Year**

or _The Art of Kissing_

...

Was she mad? Bonkers? Downright insane? Probably. Her younger self would have slapped her if she had seen herself at the age of seventeen, intertwining her fingers with James Potter's.

How had it all happened? Well, it was a certainly curious story to tell. After that full moon night in the Whomping Willow, James had started changing – for good. He wasn't childish anymore, and had grown out of his arrogance and constant mischief to become a wonderful man. However, there was still a hint of his younger self in him, which burst out whenever someone tried to hurt his still deflating ego. Lily liked his attitude towards life a lot more than last year, but it was still funny to see him joking around every now and then.

Things between them had changed too. James had shown himself a lot more caring and was always there when Lily needed him. Since they now shared the Heads Dorm they got to spend quite a lot of time together, which at first had bothered Lily but then came out as a great way of getting to know the new James Potter. During their patrols they would usually chat and joke for hours until they got back to their dorm, and over one of those shifts, the previous night, something had happened. Between James's jokes and sweet smiles, Lily had realized the boy really loved her, and that she probably really did love him back. She had always known it, but it hadn't been until right then when she had actually realized it. After finishing their shift and having returned to their dorm, James waved her goodnight as usually, but instead Lily had stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek lightly.

"Good night," she had whispered before walking into her room with a shy smile.

And with that, they had both woken up on a particularly sunny October morning, both looking as happy and ready to face a new day as ever. They had met each other in their particular common room with shy smiles, and now they were walking downstairs. Lily had surprised James by holding his hand and intertwining his fingers with hers, but the boy had smiled at this and thought it definitely had to mean something.

The two of them reached the Great Hall and were welcomed by surprised whispers from students of all ages and Houses, even first years and Slytherins. Head Boy and Girl together, intertwining fingers...and their names were James Potter and Lily Evans, enemies until not so long ago. Everyone else seemed surprised at this sight, but the worst came when they reached the Gryffindor table and met their friends there.

"Dear Merlin!" exclaimed Alma with a cheerful smile. "Is it true, or am I raving? James Potter and Lily Evans – holding hands?"

Lily seemed to blush, whilst James gave the cheerful Gryffindor a wide grin. All of the other Gryffindor seventh years turned around with big smiles.

"Congratulations, Prongs!" exclaimed Sirius, patting his best friend's back with a smile. "I knew Lily wouldn't be able to resist your charms."

"Shush, Black," said Lily, blushing.

"So, is it official?" asked Juliet dreamily. "Are you guys – you know, dating?"

"No, they're just holding hands because they don't hate each other any more," deadpanned Connie, next to Alma.

James and Lily didn't say anything for the rest of the meal. They had to deal with Alma's squeals and Remus trying to calm her down, and Gale and Juliet telling them they'd make a magnificent couple if they actually went out together. Marianne was sighing dreamily, whilst Connie seemed as if about to throw up from all the sappiness around her.

After breakfast, they had to split up for their NEWT classes. Remus, Lily, Alma and Marianne had Herbology, whilst James, Sirius, Juliet and Gale had Divination. Lily let go of James's hand, and the two groups walked into opposite directions. As always, Lily partnered up with Marianne and Alma worked with Remus. Lily knew they fancied each other, and most definitely she would have to get them together one day – but she had to get things sorted out with James first.

Lily and Marianne started preparing the plant they had been assigned for that lesson while they chatted casually. Marianne told Lily about her boyfriend, a Ravenclaw of their year called Daniel Schafer. Lily listened eagerly, for she liked knowing of her friends' love lives. But when Marianne asked her about James, Lily just did a timid shrug and started slicing the plant thoughtfully.

"I guess we're not going out yet," she explained. "Because he hasn't asked me to."

"Oh, he will soon," Marianne laughed. "But the thing is – what would you answer if he _did_ ask you out?"

Lily blushed and smiled sheepishly.

"I don't know," she lied.

Marianne laughed vividly and patted her friend's back.

"Come on, Lils," she giggled. "I've known you for seven years now, and I know you'll just throw yourself into his arms if he ever asks you out..."

Lily rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Whatever."

The two girls went back to work, Marianne stifling a visible laughter. When they had almost finished their work for the class, Lily reached out into her cloak pocket to grab a quill, and was surprised to find a small piece of parchment inside. She took it out and read through the messy handwriting she recognized from the very first letter.

_Doubt thou the stars are fire,_  
_Doubt the sun doth move,_  
_Doubt truth to be a liar_  
_but never doubt my love._

_-William Shakespeare._

_P.S. I really don't know who this Shakespeare guy is, but Madam Pince told me he's a sort of genius of the Muggle literature...so I thought you'd like reading a poem by him! See you in the Heads Dorm after classes. _

_J._

Lily sighed dreamily and re-read the note over and over again until the class was over. She didn't show it to Marianne, or Alma even, she just placed it inside her pocket and made sure she would never, ever lose that piece of parchment.

The rest of the day seemed to take forever to Lily. She couldn't wait for classes to be over, just to meet James in the Heads Dorm after classes. Had her younger self seen herself daydreaming over the Potter boy, she would have most certainly slapped herself. Lily giggled at the thought, sitting in the Transfiguration class with Alma. James and Sirius sat only a few rows in front of them, and Lily wouldn't stop staring at his black messy hair and sighing dreamily. That was so unlike her, and yet she did do it. Why? Lily couldn't tell.

"Lily," hissed Alma. When her friend didn't answer, the girl spoke louder. "Lily!"

The Head Girl snapped out of her daydream and looked at her friend with surprise filling her face.

"What?" she asked.

"You're not even paying attention!" Alma scolded her. "You're just staring at James like there's nothing else in the world. Come on, Lils! You know better than that. It's our NEWTs year, and you really should pay attention if you want to become an Auror."

Lily nodded. After all, her friend was totally right: she should start focusing on her work and stop daydreaming about James. She wanted to become and Auror, and she needed top marks for that. She started copying in a piece of parchment everything that had been written down in the blackboard by Professor McGonagall over the last hour and started catching up with the lesson.

Still, her eyes would slide to a bunch of messy black hair from time to time.

Lily had hoped to catch up with James after Transfigurations, but he had ran to his next lesson, Care of Magical Creatures, whilst Lily left to Ancient Runes with Remus and Connie. This time she sat down with Remus, allowing Connie to sit with the boy she fancied, a Hufflepuff named Ewan McKinnon. As Remus and Lily started noting down what Professor Dessen told them, they shared a brief conversation which was rather shocking to Lily.

"Um, Lils," said Remus as the teacher went on rambling about the Runic alphabet. "Do you – do you think I should ask Alma to the Christmas Ball?"

Lily shook her head in surprise. She had never thought Remus would have had any romantic interests, to say the truth. Alma had fancied him for ages now, and she was glad to know the boy was starting to like her back.

"Oh, sure," Lily answered casually. "I mean – you should really hurry."

Remus frowned, and Lily couldn't help but smile. She wanted to see how much did Remus care for her best friend, to make sure he wouldn't hurt her. Of course, she trusted Remus after all those years of friendship, but she wouldn't allow any boy too close to Alma after her last boyfriend Kenneth Lee had broken her heart last year.

"What do you mean, I should really hurry?" Remus asked in a low voice.

"Oh, well," Lily sighed. "You know, there's always this group of boys...these boys who are after poor Alma, you know. They're actually quite fit, and nice guys. But if you really want to take her to the Christmas Ball, I guess you should hurry...ask her out before those toerags do."

Remus chuckled softly. Lily knew he was a quite shy boy when it came to love issues. She wasn't sure he had had any girlfriends over their seven years in Hogwarts, and she certainly didn't see him as the weekly fling kind of boy. She patted his back with a warm smile.

"But don't worry," she added. "I'm sure she'll go out with you if you ask her. I mean, she's like head over heels with you since fifth year."

Remus's eyebrows raised and a funny smile spread across his face.

"Really?" the lycanthrope asked incredulously. "I can't believe it."

Lily nodded, and Remus smiled. Now he felt like most of the weight of asking a girl out vanished, and felt a lot more confident. Yes, he would definitely ask her to the Christmas Ball – and no Hufflepuff toerag would get between him and Alma.

After Ancient Runes came lunchtime. Remus, Connie and Lily headed to the Great Hall, where they would meet the rest of the seventh year Gryffindors, but they were surprised to find only Peter, Marianne, Sirius, Alma and Juliet there.

"Where are James and Gale?" asked Connie.

"They had some important Quidditch meeting," explained Sirius. "Prongs needed to clear up some stuff for tomorrow's match. You know...being Gryffindor Quidditch captain and such."

Lily nodded. She felt sad about not being able to see James during lunch, but she guessed she'd see him after classes at the Heads' Dorm. However, she did find a good excuse to nudge Remus hard when she caught him staring at Alma.

"You should ask her out after lunch," she whispered to her friend.

"But...but how?" asked Remus doubtfully. "I – I just don't know how to ask a girl out."

Lily shrugged, "Do it as it comes to you. Be honest, tell her all you feel for her. That'll be more than enough."

Remus chuckled, "If I did tell her all I feel for her, I'd have enough to write a book."

Lily smiled at her friend's sweet comment. She knew everything would turn out well for both of them, and wished Remus luck one last time before heading to her next lesson, Potions. Juliet, Peter, Gale, Connie, Alma and Remus had a free period, so she headed there with Marianne and Sirius and hoped she'd meet James there. On their way to the dungeons, she heard Sirius chuckling repeatedly.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked finally, turning to her friend.

"It's just..." Sirius started, with a goofy smile. "Never mind. But you're going to laugh your arse off when you see James tonight."

Lily frowned at Sirius's comment, but said nothing. When they reached the Potions class in the dungeons, they found James sitting down in the desk he shared with Sirius. The boy gave Lily a huge grin when he saw her entering the classroom, and looked into her big emerald green eyes until she sat down in her own desk with Marianne and started peering into their cauldron.

James couldn't focus on their Potions lesson either. It was his and Lily's last lesson of the week, because after that all of their friends but them had either Arithmancy or Muggle Studies. He was ecstatic about that afternoon, although he didn't even know what was he going to do when he found Lily face-to-face. Was he going to tell her how much he loved her? Was he going to kiss her, after all that time trying to impress her? He wondered what would make it special. He remembered both of them's first kiss, and smiled giddily. Yeah, something like that could work...

"Prongs," hissed Sirius. "PRONGS! WHAT THE HELL, YOU'RE BURNING MY CAULDRON!"

James snapped out of his daydream at the smell of something burning. Yes, it was indeed Sirius's cauldron which was burning – the pewter was starting to melt down because James had set the flame to an excessively high temperature. Their Potion – Draught of Living Death – was now starting to flow out of the cauldron, and James could barely hear Professor Slughorn yelling loudly behind them.

"Black! Potter!" the professor yelled. "For Merlin's sake, what have you done?"

"I dunno, Professor," lied Sirius, who glared at his best friend. "I think we forgot to turn the flame off."

"Everyone, sit up on your tables!" Slughorn ordered. "Don't let this – _thing_ – touch your feet."

Some Slytherins, such as Severus Snape, laughed at Potter and Black's mishap, while a group of Hufflepuff girls squeaked loudly and sat up onto their desks. A group of Ravenclaws chuckled softly and obeyed Professor Slughorn, whilst Lily and Marianne, who were sitting a few rows in front of them, giggled and sat up too.

"Oh, dear Merlin," whispered Slughorn. "I'll call the house elves. Potter, Black," he called the two students angrily. "Ten points from Gryffindor."

Said this, the Professor tiptoed outside of the dungeons. When everyone was sure he was out of earshot, laughter filled the Potions class. Even some of the Slytherins chuckled. James and Sirius took a bow for the class with their usual cocky smiles, and then stood up in their tables too. James peered over his shoulder, and felt how his stomach started fluttering – had he really thought it _fluttered_? – when his eyes met Lily's. The girl was giggling and smiling happily, but grinned when she noticed James's hazel eyes. The boy winked an eye at her and she felt how her cheeks started reddening softly.

By the time the house elves – who were immune to the Draught of Living Death – had finished cleaning up, the Potions lesson was over. The cheery students left an exasperated Horace Slughorn mourning about how some stools had been badly injured by the potion, and was considering punishing James and Sirius when the two boys rushed outside, still laughing loudly.

...

Of course, Lily couldn't catch up with James after Potions classes. She guessed he would be in the Heads' Dorm already, and her heart started beating excitedly at the thought of meeting him again after that most certainly weird last night.

"Well, I'm off to Arithmancy," said Marianne with a loud sigh. "Eugh, I hate that class. I wonder why did I choose to study for its NEWT level?"

"Because you're amazing in every single subject," laughed Lily.

"Yeah right, as if," Marianne rolled her eyes. Then she smiled giddily at her friend. "So what are you doing now? I bet you're going upstairs to suck faces with Potter."

Lily frowned, "Ugh, no. I'm not the 'sucking-faces' kind of girl, you know. I guess – I guess I'll see what happens."

Marianne nodded and said goodbye to her friend, heading to the Arithmancy class with Connie, who had joined them in the entrance of the dungeons. Lily sighed and set off to the Heads' Dorm. She simply couldn't wait until she saw James again.

Then, as she skipped up the fourth floor's staircase, it hit her – what was she supposed to do? She had only dated two boys, and they had never been half as outgoing as James. What if she wasn't up to his expectations?

Lily felt how her heart started making its way to her mouth as she mumbled the password to the old, quirky man in the portrait. The man – a Greek philosopher – snickered and smiled.

"Your boyfriend is inside," he chuckled. "I bet he's got something good planned."

The portrait hole squeaked open and Lily stepped into the common room doubtfully. She still wasn't sure of what did James see in her...her fiery red hair certainly wasn't anything to admire, and her skin was just so pale...she was average height, only a few inches smaller than James, which made her forehead go to the level of his lips. Those endearing, lovely lips Lily was more than willing to kiss...

Pondering all this, Lily reached the sofa, and found James sitting there with a peaceful expression. When the boy noticed her – which was only a split of a second after the girl arrived – he turned around and grinned widely at her. Lily had no idea of what was the boy up to, but she guessed she would find out soon.

"Hey, Lils," he greeted her, standing up.

"Hi, James," she answered, not using his surname for once.

James coughed a little. Even though Lily didn't know it, he did feel quite nervous about that moment too. After all, he was the boy – he was ought to take the first step. He had been thinking about it all day, and had come to a quite good idea which he was going to try right then.

"I – I've been thinking," he started. "I've wondered for so long why did you hate my guts, but I think I now understand. I – I've been such a jerk, for so long. You were right all along, I was a bullying toerag who didn't deserve all I had. After I realized how wrong I was, I guess I started changing – I suppose, for good." Lily smiled, giving James more confidence. "I've also been thinking. I know it bothers you to talk about it, but I think I know why did our first kiss go so terribly wrong three years ago."

"Because you kissed me without me wanting you to?" Lily suggested, a funny expression in her face.

James blushed. "I – I guess that's a big part of it. But there was something else – something I should have thought of before I kissed you. I didn't _kiss_ you right, I didn't do it as I should have."

Lily's eyebrows rose.

"What do you mean, kiss me right?" she asked. "It's not like there's a kissing protocol or anything, you know."

James snickered, "Oh, you're very wrong with that, Lily Evans. Of course there is a protocol," the boy took a dramatic pause and gave the girl he loved a wide smile. "In fact, I'd say kissing is an _art_."

Lily smiled. "And how do you perform this art, may I ask?"

James grinned. He knew it was the perfect chance to do it. He would ask Lily out, and kiss her after three long years...the sole thought of it made butterflies flutter in the walls of his stomach.

"Oh well," he started. "It's quite easy, once you learn how to do it properly. It's important to stand close to the girl," James took a step closer to Lily, so his lips were almost touching her forehead. Lily giggled nervously. "That way, she'll know you don't want to bother her and everything you want to do is love her right. The next thing to do is place your hand under her jaw," James placed his own hand under Lily's small, delicate jaw and caressed her flushed cheek with his thumb. "And then, start doing sweet, small circles in her cheek with your thumb, which will show her you will always be there to protect her and take care of her."

"Then, with your other hand," James continued. "You'll gently place it around her waist and pull her closer," James placed his right hand on Lily's waist and pulled the girl closer. "Just to show her I need her close like I need oxygen for breathing." James felt his heart beating a million times faster as he came towards the last step. "And finally, kiss her to show how badly you need her."

James leaned forward and let his lips crash against Lily's. It was a sweet, tender kiss which lasted for a few seconds. Of course, Lily did not pull away, but felt how something inside her burst out in happiness. She had her eyes shut closed, but still she could perfectly picture James's handsome features. Was he _really_ kissing her?

When James pulled away, Lily's first reaction was a huge smile. Her eyelids fluttered open and her emerald green eyes met James's, the hazel orbs shining as brightly as ever. Both of them wore entranced smiles, and said absolutely nothing for another few seconds, in which the only thing in their minds was each other's eyes.

"I love you, Lily," he whispered with a smile. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Lily bit her lip as she grinned. She wanted to yell out she did want to be his girlfriend, but instead stood on her tiptoes and gave him another sweet, affectionate kiss. Then, both of them walked to the sofa and sat down, Lily cuddling into James's arms comfortably as the boy felt his heart beating out of his chest from all the joy he felt. Lily rested her head on the crook of his neck, and smiled peacefully.

"Lils," James said after a while. "You – you haven't answered my question."

Lily looked up at James and gave him another kiss, smiling.

"What do you think, you toerag?" she giggled in a friendly tone.

James grinned, and kissed the top of her head with a triumphant expression. He would never let his girlfriend down, he would protect her with his life and take care of her every second of his life from now on.

As the girl's fingers intertwined with his, James took Lily's last statement as a yes.

...

**Author's Note**: Oh my god, this is so painfully long! I'm sorry, there were just too many things to talk about in this chapter. And for the first time ever, I am quite happy with the result! Anyways, just letting you know, the Marauders' Hogwarts lives finishes in this chapter. Next chapters – four more chapters plus a small epilogue – will be written for each year the Marauders spent in the Order, after finishing at Hogwarts.

Next chapter, _1978 or A Christmas Dance_ will come soon! Cheers, people.


	8. 1978 or The Christmas Dance

**Chapter Eight: 1978**

or _The Christmas Dance_

...

Life was rushing towards the Marauders at speeds they could not control. It had only been a few months since their graduation and yet the worst things they could have imagined had happened. Lily's parents had died over the summer in a Death Eater attack to Muggle families. Luckily enough, she had been out for a few days with James and her friends, but the sole thought of having her parents gone shattered her heart into pieces. Of course, James had always been there for her, and Lily had sometimes thought that had it not been for her boyfriend she would have given up on living long ago.

Things weren't easy for the Order either – most of its members lived in a small house in the outskirts of London, crammed into small bedrooms and supervised by the spooky-looking Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody. All in all, none of the members had much time to themselves. It was barely a miracle Lily and James found themselves in the house living room with the sole company of Sirius, Marlene McKinnon and Alastor Moody. It was Christmas Eve and all of the members of the Order were off to see their families for the night. Sirius, of course, wouldn't visit his family. Since his poor uncle Alphard's death, he hadn't spoken to a Black once – knowing that the only cousin he was fond of, Andromeda, had married Ted Tonks and had taken her husband's surname. And James and Lily had no family to visit, really. James's parents were off to Bulgaria again, recruiting some dragon-keepers over there. James was concerned about them being too old for the job, but of course his father always gave him a pat on his back and laughed.

"Age makes us wiser, James. You'll realize that one day."

Now, sitting by the crackling fire, with Lily cuddling next to him, James couldn't help but wonder if he had become any wiser over the last months. He was now an adult, and yet he felt he wasn't ready to dive into the adult world. He sometimes couldn't believe all that was happening around was real, and wanted to dream about his day back in the Hogwarts castle, living freely with no worries. Now, he was fighting a war. A _war_! Who would have said conceited, arrogant James Potter would give himself for the Order of the Phoenix?

His eyes set on Lily's fiery red hair. The big sprout of hair looked as wild as the first day James had seen her, back in the Hogwarts Express. He chuckled at the thought, realizing how much had things changed over the last years.

Lily's eyes met his, and the girl smiled.

"Why're you chuckling?" she asked.

"Hm, nothing in particular," he answered with a posh tone. "Can I not admire my girlfriend's beauty?"

Lily felt how her cheeks flushed bright red, and James chuckled softly. He loved her shyness. He loved everything about her, even her flaws. Flaws make us human, after all. He kissed her temple and pulled her close, inhaling her soft caramel scent.

James hated that melancholic gleam in Lily's eyes. He knew she had moved on from her parents' death, but at dates like Christmas she would often get depressed and wouldn't speak much. He suddenly felt a lump in his throat, feeling tremendously guilty. He should be trying to cheer her up. He felt the small box in his pocket, and fidgeted nervously with the couch pillow. Could that be the day?

"Lils," he called her with a soft voice. "D'you want to go upstairs?"

Lily looked up at him and gave James a small nod. Whatever he was up to, she'd enjoy it better than sitting next to the fire – too many memories. Her parents, Christmas with her family, before she even knew she was a witch. She loved everything that had happened to her after discovering the Wizarding world – _her _world – but she still missed those times when she could see her parents and even her sister Petunia every day.

James took her hand, and lifted her up from the couch with a dumb smile. They both smiled stupidly as they made their way to the staircase. When they were about to step onto the first step, they heard a voice calling from the kitchen.

"Oi, Prongs!" called Sirius. "Don't get too – excited, okay? Dinner's in an hour."

"Okay, mummy," said James with a sarcastic smile. "We'll be back at time."

Sirius winked an eye at the couple before leaving to the kitchen again, where he and Marlene were cooking dinner. It was rather shocking to see Sirius doing something on Christmas Eve other than lounging around in the living room, which was actually what he did for most of the year. But James suspected this sudden interest on preparing Christmas pastries wasn't much related to gastronomy, but to the cooker herself, young mistress McKinnon.

Lily and James shuffled onto the bedroom James shared with the other three Marauders. Lily shared another one with Marlene, Alma and Connie, since her other friends hadn't made it to the Order. The boy opened the bedroom door rather pompously and offered Lily to step inside, to which Lily giggled and accepted with an equally pompous smile.

"Thank you, milord," she giggled.

The bedroom wasn't much. Just four small beds – nothing compared to their elegant, four-posted beds at Hogwarts – and a small table with a water jug that was now empty. Lily sat down on Remus's bed, which was the one closest to the door. James sat next to her and let out a loud sigh.

"Look, James," Lily started. "I'm not really in the mood for –"

"Don't worry, I didn't bring you up here for that," James laughed.

Lily sighed and gave James a soft kiss on the cheek before hugging his neck. They both sat in silence for a few seconds until James thought they should do something other than just sit down in silence. He wanted Lily to remember that night forever, and he wasn't going to ruin it.

James looked at Lily with his hand out for her.

"Dance with me," he asked her with a smile, standing up and looking into her big, emerald-green eyes.

"But there's no music," she answered, a bit taken aback by her boyfriend's offer.

James gave her a big smile as he gently pulled her up and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Music is everywhere, my dear. It's never too late for a midnight valse."

Lily smiled at this comment but wrapped her arms around James, smiling.

"I still hear no music," she whispered.

"Oh, I think we could fix that," said James.

And, with a gentle whip of his wand, a small gramophone appeared on the corner of the bedroom, playing a song both of them knew too well. Lily gave him a small smile as James offered her one of his lopsided grins.

"No, not this again, Potter," she said.

"Remember, back in our fourth year?" he whispered.

"How could I forget?" she muttered as the lyrics came in.

Lily looked into James's hazel eyes and saw nothing but pure glee. What made him so happy, anyway? Yes, it was Christmas and they were together...but there was still a war going on outside.

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round_

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears_

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by_

_(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes_

_(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart_

_(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart_

James couldn't help but think about how much had his life changed from the very first time he had heard that song, four years ago. He was just a kid back then – although he had always thought he was a real adult. He had thought he knew everything, and yet he knew barely nothing. He breathed in Lily's soft scent, not believing she was finally his, and he was finally hers. They had been together for a year and two months, the happiest of James's life despite all the tragic things that had happened to them over the past months. He let his lips touch her soft red hair, and started humming to the song, to which Lily chuckled softly.

_And I need you now tonight and I need you more than ever_

_And if you only hold me tight We'll be holding on forever_

_And we'll only be making it right 'cause we'll never be wrong_

_Together we can take it to the end of the line_

_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)_

_I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark_

_We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks_

_I really need you tonight, forever's gonna start tonight_

_Forever's gonna start tonight..._

Lily felt James's lips on her red hair, and smiled. Of all the things that had happened ever since that October afternoon, she hadn't regretted a thing. Tragedy had struck their lives, of course, but James had always been there for her, and now she knew for sure he had grown up. James had become a man in the last year. He was still as charming as the very first day, but somehow girls had stopped stalking him, perhaps because they know how badly he loved Lily. He had not disappointed her once – nothing serious, anyway. Lily felt a lump in her throat as she realized that had it not been for James and the Marauders, she would have given up long ago. Sure, Alma, Connie and the Marauders were her closest friends, but James comforted her as no one else could. He knew how to make her smile, even in the worst situations.

_Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart_

_There's nothing I can do... a total eclipse of the heart_

_Once upon a time there was light in my life, but now there's only love in the dark_

_Nothing I can say... a total eclipse of the heart._

James let out a small sigh. He knew the moment had come. He kissed the girl's head once again and stopped dancing. At first, Lily was a little bit surprised by this. James felt his heart beating faster and faster with every second that went by. He looked into Lily's deep green eyes and found something that made him see he was doing right.

"Lily Evans," he said. "I have known you for seven years now, and I believe I have loved you ever since. Over the last year, you have made me the happiest man alive, because you've always been there for me, as I have always been there for you. I know it hasn't been a lifetime, but to me it's more than enough. Every time I look into those beautiful green eyes of yours I feel a comfort that was unknown to me before I realized I loved you, and I want to feel that comfort every single day of the rest of my life. I know our life right now isn't what you'd call an idle, but at least we're together and we love each other. We haven't been together for that long, but who cares? We have a whole life to spend together."

Without hesitating, he dropped to one knee and took out the velvet box inside his pocket.

"Lily Evans," he repeated, this time with a much more confident voice. "Will you marry me?"

Lily stood there in awe. For a second, she didn't know what to say, what to think, even, but a split of a second later she felt how tears started filling her green eyes.

"Oh James," she whispered, smiling. "Of course I'd like to marry you."

James grinned, feeling how a heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders. He placed the ring – a small emerald ring matching her eyes – in her ring finger, and then stood up, feeling like the happiest man alive. He kissed Lily with happiness flowing through his body, holding her up in his arms and hugging her tightly. When they were finally out of breath, James let her down and grinned furiously, not believing all that was happening to him was true.

"I love you, Lily Evans," he whispered, staring into her big green eyes.

Lily smiled and wrapped her arms around James's neck.

"Lily Potter," she corrected him. "Lily Potter."

James grinned again and leaned back in to kiss her again. For the next minutes, there was only the two of them, kissing and smiling of pure glee, forgetting about the world surrounding them. Of course, they would have to walk down for dinner, where news of recently murdered wizards and witches would strike them back to reality.

But for now, there was just the two of them, and the thought of a life together.

...

**Author's Note**: Phew! That took long to write! I just got my summer holidays, so I have basically been lounging around for a week. Sorry about the delay! But anyways, here you have a terribly-super-sappy chapter for your enjoyment.

Next chapter, _1979 or Best Man and Friend_, will come soon!


	9. 1979 or Best Man and Friend

**Chapter Nine: 1979**

or _Best Man and Friend_

...

Fourteen of June, 1979, was a particularly sunny day. Most of the members of the Order had gotten themselves a day off, even grumpy old Mad-Eye Moody. The had all Apparated close to Oxford, in the calm and quiet Potter house. Mrs. Potter was wandering up and down, placing different people in their seats. She and Mr. Potter were the only relatives of James's in the wedding, since they had both been only children and James's grandparents had already passed away. As for Lily's family, Petunia and her husband Vernon had been invited, but they hadn't turned up, as most of them expected.

James was already standing in the aisle, as nervous as ever. He wanted to chew his fingernails, but knew it wouldn't do him any good. He saw his friends Remus and Peter sitting in the front rows, giving him thumbs-up and wide smiles. Alma should be sitting next to Remus, but the girl was Lily's maid of honor, whilst Marianne, Juliet and Connie were her bridesmaids.

He eyed Sirius, who stood next to him with a wide grin. Sirius had been his best friend for so long now, and now he was his best man too. Their eyes met, and James gave him a nervous smile. Sirius gave his shoulder a soft squeeze, and nodded. James could barely stand still. Most of the people that had been invited were members of the order; aside from James and Lily's friends there was also Marlene McKinnon and her two brothers, Mad-Eye Moody, a number of Hogwarts professors and some of their old schoolmates, and even Albus Dumbledore himself had showed up, offering himself to marry James and Lily. It had shocked James at first to know the Headmaster would be attending their wedding, knowing a war was going on and Hogwarts could be attacked anytime if most of the professors were gone. But of course, he didn't say anything and just enjoyed everyone's presence.

Lily was already outside. She was standing in a simple, long white dress which fit her perfectly. She looked downright gorgeous, but she would have been chewing her nails out had it not been for her best friend's advice.

"Don't you worry, Lils," Alma told her. "This is just a small thing. In no time, we'll all be throwing a small party in your house, and you will have officially married James Potter."

"Dear Merlin, _married_." Lily whispered, as if she had just realized the weight of the word. "I won't be Lily Evans any more."

"Lily Potter, it sounds so great," squealed Juliet, who wore her own engagement ring to Gale. She fixed Lily's veil and grinned. "Oh my, you look so _gorgeous_, Lily! I bet James will go all wobbly when he sees you."_  
_

Lily smiled at her friend's comment, but said nothing. She took a deep breath and looked around her. She then gave Alma a small nod, and the two women entered the small chapel. She took small steps to the aisle, where James stood, stunned by his soon-to-be wife's beauty. His expression broke into a magnificent grin when Lily reached the aisle and stood next to him. Dumbledore stood up and walked in front of them, ready to start the small ceremony.

"I don't think there's enough words to explain how beautiful, stunning, gorgeous you look," James whispered to Lily.

She gave him a smile without anyone else noticing, and her fingers brushed against his playfully. James chuckled softly, but stopped when Albus Dumbledore started the ceremony.

It was a long, rather boring speech about the sad, difficult times the Wizarding world was facing, and how no matter how dramatic the situation is, love can always spring anywhere, like in James and Lily's case. Everyone listened half-heartedly after the first twenty minutes, and they were almost glad when Dumbledore decided to finish his speech and move onto the wedding vows.

"Do you, Lily Evans, take this man to be your husband?" he asked Lily.

Lily answered firmly and without hesitating, "I do."

"And do you, James Potter, take this woman to be your bride?" he asked, turning to face James.

If possible, James answered even faster than Lily, "I do."

Dumbledore gave both of them a smile and nodded, "Then I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

James grinned, and lifted Lily's veil. Their lips met once again, yet it was the first time they did as a married couple. Everyone in the room cheered and clapped happily. Sirius, who was still standing next to them, even whooped happily, provoking laughter in the room too. James pulled away slowly and smiled gleefully at Lily.

"You know what's coming next, right?" he whispered with a bright smile.

"Yes," Lily answered, smiling excitedly. "A whole life ahead of us."

...

The rest of the ceremony seemed to dash by. After the small reception, came a small party Mrs. Potter had organized in the huge gardens of the Potter Manor, with music played by Lily's bridesmaids. Sirius gave a small speech – James suspected he was already a bit drunk – after a few songs, which amused everyone greatly.

"I've known Lily and James ever since we were all eleven," he started, grabbing the microphone. "And ever since I saw our redhead smiling at James for the very first time, I knew those two hotheads belonged together. Of course, neither of them would accept it, and they even called each other nemesis for their first years at Hogwarts. All bullshit, I believe," he laughed at some of the guests' straight faces for his swearing. "I always thought they'd end up together by our fifth or sixth year, but their relationship became even worse. Poor James knew he loved Lily, but the girl wouldn't buy it and every rejection came with a loud smack that could have been heard from Moscow."

Lily's face burned bright red, but she quickly smiled as he heard James laughing next to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"But red cheeks aside," Sirius laughed. "Everyone at Hogwarts believed they would end up together. And so they did. One day, we saw them walking to the Great Hall holding hands, and...POOF! Lovers. You shoulda seen them, they were the sappiest thing ever...smooch, smooch," James grinned, and Lily blushed again. Sirius then let out a loud sigh. "But the thing is, they made the cutest couple ever. And now I know for sure they'll be bothering me with their smoochiness until the very last day of my life, because James and Lily's love is one of those that'll never, ever be broken."

Sirius finished his speech and everyone burst out in cheers and claps. The best man took another long gulp from a firewhisky bottle, and smiled giddily at everyone. Remus and Peter patted his back noisily, and by the time Sirius took a seat in front of Lily and James, everyone else was back in the dance floor.

"Well, ain't that a neat best man speech?" he asked, pouring himself a drink.

"Certainly...different," murmured Lily. But then she broke into a great grin and hugged Sirius. "You're the best best man we could have possibly had."

Sirius shrugged knowingly, with one of his cocky smiles. James patted his back and looked at Lily, who seemed as excited as ever. Everyone else was dancing to a slow, sweet song. James saw Remus and Alma dancing a few feet away from them, and Juliet and Gale too. And there he saw Sirius, single and free as he would have described himself.

"So, Lily Potter," said James with a smile. He felt something tickling inside him at the mention of his wife's new name. "Can I have this dance?"

Lily giggled and gently took James's hand, following him to the dance floor. James saw Sirius smirking at him one last time before he started dancing to a Wizarding slow song, and stuck his tongue out at him. There were things that would never change in James's life, and one of them was the great friendship – brotherhood, he'd say – that linked him to Sirius Black.

After a few dances, Lily told James she was going to go talk to some old school friends, to which James answered with a comprehending nod and a small kiss on her fiery red hair. The then walked back to where he had left Sirius drinking a while ago, and was pleased to find him there, by himself. The groom took a seat next to his best man, and let out a loud sigh.

"So, enjoying your marital status so far?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah," James whispered. "I mean...I've only been married for a few hours, but I think I couldn't be happier. Lily – she's perfect. We're happy, everyone's happy. We've forgotten about this shitty world of ours for a couple of hours, and I've seen Lily smile. That's the best gift I could get."

"Aw, Prongsies," he said, imitating a girly tone. "That is so adorable! You two are _so_ made for each other!" James laughed softly, and his friend served himself yet another cup of wine. "No, but seriously Prongs...you guys are head over heels. I never saw a couple more in love than you guys. It's just...incredible."

James gave him a soft chuckle, but didn't answer. Instead, he asked his best friend another question.

"Padfoot, did you really mean all you said up there?" he asked. "Or were you – you know – a bit too drunk?"

Sirius gave him a loud laugh.

"Of course I meant it, Prongs!" Sirius exclaimed. "You two are my best friends. I've grown up with you...the least I can do is being honest in my best man speech, isn't it?"

James did a shrug and laughed. Of all the things that had changed over the last eight years, Sirius's lively and rather cocky attitude towards life had been one that had always stayed the same. Of course, he wasn't the little, cheery eleven-year-old he used to be when they were first years, but aside from the looks and some minimum maturity inside that brain of his, Sirius Black hadn't changed a bit in all that time.

"One day, Lily and I will have a child," announced James. "And you'll be the godfather."

Sirius beamed. Yes, he was quite the same person than eight years ago, but still, did the other notice it or not, he had grown up. The idea of being his best friend's child's godfather made him terribly happy, suspecting he would never be the fatherly kind of man. He had come to the conclusion that he hadn't been born to become the head of a house and raise a bunch of children with a loving wife. Yeah, he did like girls very much, but the whole 'settle down' thing wasn't much of his like. He was young and handsome, why tie himself into something like marriage?

"Great," Sirius answered. "I can't wait to spoil the little thing with presents and candies from Hogsmeade."

James snorted.

"Oh, my poor little child," he laughed.

They both sat down together in a comfortable silence. They looked at the dance floor, thinking about how much had things changed ever since they first met. They weren't children any more. A small sentence from his mother came to James's mind, 'so young, to be fighting so many'. They were barely nineteen, and yet they had been forced to fight and had been threatened with death so many times. James wished all the war hadn't happened. But he wasn't fighting for a better world for himself, not at all. He was fighting for a better world for the person he loved the most and who made his life complete: his wife.

He looked at Sirius.

"Sirius," he asked weakly. "We'll stick together until the end, right?"

Sirius gave his best friend a small smile and nodded.

"Until the very end."

...

**Author's Note**: Oh, this was so painfully short...but whatever. I tried to focus on James and Sirius's friendship over this chapter, because you know, that's how I roll. Anyways, I hope you've liked it, reviews are always welcome! Also, I want to give a massive thank you to all of you who have read my story from the very beginning, and those of you who have sticked around later on but still review every chapter. You guys are so amazing!

Anyways, I know this chapter's crammed with quotes from the Deathly Hallows book, but I just finished re-reading it, so I felt like I should add some stuff...you know, Potterhead until the very end and such. Heh. Anyways, I hope all the quoting doesn't bother you too much.

Next chapter, _1980 or A New Light_ will come soon...I presume.


	10. 1980 or A New Light

**Chapter Ten: 1980**

or _A New Light_

...

Shrieks. Loud shrieks piercing the air.

James groaned for about the tenth time in the night and turned around, gazing at his son's crib a few feet away. He grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and squinted through the darkness.

"Lils," he groaned. "Harry's woken up...again."

"I've heard," Lily yawned.

Lily had also woken up with Harry's loud, baby shrieks. She walked to her son's crib and scooped him in her arms, rocking Harry back and forth gently. At first, James had felt annoyed, because it was the first time in weeks he could have gotten a nice night's sleep. However, at the sight of his wife rocking their baby so peacefully, both with such gentle expressions, he couldn't do anything but smile. He stood up too, and looked at Harry's small, peaceful expression with a proud grin in his face. Harry only had a few hairs in his little scalp, but those few he had were remarkably like his father's, jet-black hair which was starting to grow in all directions. With his eyes closed, Harry looked like the spitting image of James Potter, but when the baby's eyes fluttered open and a gleam hit his big green orbs, everyone noted he had his mother's eyes.

"He's so handsome," whispered Lily, giving Harry a small kiss on his forehead as the baby yawned.

"Just like you," agreed James with a goofy smile. He looked at their son for a few more seconds and then told Lily, "Let me hold him."

Lily passed Harry onto his father's strong, caring arms, and the man rocked the baby gently. Feeling the touch of his father, the baby giggled slowly and closed his eyes.

"How's little Hazzy doing?" James whispered to the baby with the goofiest smile Lily had ever seen. "Listen Hazzy, tomorrow you're going to get to see Padfoot again. He's your godfather, remember?"

"Dooz," giggled Harry in response.

"He's talking, Lily!" exclaimed James excitedly, with a gleam in his eyes. "Look! He just said 'yes'!"

"He's four months old, James," said Lily, chuckling. "He can't be talking yet."

"Maybe he's really, _really_ intelligent," James suggested. "Just like his mother."_  
_

Lily smiled, and looked at James rocking Harry in his arms until their baby was fast asleep. The man placed a soft kiss on Harry's forehead and left the little baby in his crib. After the baby let out a long, happy yawn, James rested his chin on the crib, and looked at his son with a rather goofy expression until he felt Lily's arms wrapping around him.

"It's – it's just amazing," James whispered. "Harry – Harry's our _child_."

Lily smiled, and felt how James grabbed her hand and brushed his lips against it. It was, indeed, one of the best feelings in the world – knowing a child had been born from their love even in such difficult times. They had been hiding for a month now, ever since Dumbledore told them it was probably the best thing they could do. James knew Lily was scared, and he endlessly tried to comfort her all day and night. He finally turned around and felt a lump in his throat as he saw Lily's eyes were bright with tears. His wife wrapped her arms tightly around him, letting the first tears stream down her face.

"I'm scared," she muttered between sobs. "I – I sometimes think we won't make it."

James wrapped his arms around her, desperately trying to calm down the woman he loved.

"Ssh, it's alright," he whispered. "No-one's going to touch you and Harry, not while I'm around."

"Perhaps we should have waited," she murmured distressingly. "We could have waited until we got older, to give Harry a better and safer life..."

James shook his head, but to no use. Lily still sobbed loudly, and the only thing he could do was sit down on the bed and place her on his lap, hugging her tightly. He wasn't going to let her think that.

"Listen, Lils," he said, when she had mildly calmed down. "Listen to me. Harry is the best child in the world, and we are the best parents he could have. It doesn't matter if we're twenty, thirty or forty, because we love him with all our heart and we will protect him with our lives if necessary. Understood?" Lily gave him a small nod, still unable to say anything. "Great. Lils, you must know, I'd give my life for you two. You're the two only persons I love above anything else in the world, and I would gladly die if that meant giving you and Harry a long and happy life."

Lily choked out again, "Don't say that, James. I – I would never be able to live without you."

James smiled and kissed her temple firmly, but didn't answer. Every single word he had said was absolutely true; he would be more than willing to die if it meant saving Harry and Lily. But then again, he knew Lily was being honest too. James couldn't really know the unthinkable amount of love that Lily felt towards her, but even if it was half of what he felt for her, she'd have love enough to last a lifetime.

"We'd better get some sleep," yawned James. "Sirius is coming over tomorrow."

"Oh, true," said Lily, pretending to slap her forehead with a small smile. "I bet he'll bring some sort of weird gift for Harry again."

James snorted, "Hey, the boy did actually like his last present – what was it, anyway? Something like a deck of self-shuffling cards..."

Lily laughed, "Yes. I found them stuffed in our cake later on that evening, remember? I reckon I really don't know how the little lad managed to stuff them in there."

The two of them laughed silently, looking into each other's eyes with big smiles. They had both temporarily forgotten about everything that was going on, and were simply enjoying themselves as any other married couple would do. Then, James switched off the light and gave Lily a small kiss on the tip of her nose.

"Good night, Lils."

...

Sirius Black hardly ever got anywhere in time, but curiously enough at eleven o'clock he found himself knocking at the Potter cottage door. He had a small gift for Harry in his pocket, and hoped it would have a longer life than the self-shuffling cards he and James had accidentally gulped down as they ate one of Lily's cakes.

The door flung open and he saw a man he only knew too well, who had a huge grin on his face.

"Prongs!" Sirius exclaimed, hugging his best friend tightly.

"Padfoot!" said James, slightly mimicking his best friend.

Sirius elbowed James hard on the ribs, and as always made himself at home at the Potters'. It was like his second house anyway. Ever since Marlene McKinnon's death he had completely lost hope on finding love, so he had stuck to his job in the Order and used all his free time to visit his best friends and his beloved godson.

"Sirius!" called a young woman with fiery red hair from the living room. As Lily Potter ran to give him a big hug, a grin spread through her face. "It's great to have you here!"

"Thanks, thanks," said Sirius, as if he had just been awarded a Hogwarts Honors badge. Then, he looked around with a smile playing on his lips. "Where's the little lad?" He whirled around and found Harry in his small seating chair on the sofa, looking at Sirius with curious, glistening eyes. "Oh, there's my little handsome godson!" He walked over to the baby and gently scooped him into his arms. "How's life, Hazzy Potter? Are your parents treating you well? I'm sure you miss your uncle Sirius a lot, don't you?"

Harry giggled happily and Sirius beamed. James and Lily stood in front of them, James's arm wrapped around his wife's shoulder. They both smiled at the sight too, for they knew Harry was like a son to Sirius. He had been there the day of his birth, and almost every weekend he managed to sneak to the Potter cottage for a while. That day, however, he did have Moody's permission to come over and have lunch, so he would stay a while more. James could always use a nice chat with his best friend, and Lily loved Sirius to be around.

"I've made some roast chicken and chips for lunch," said Lily. "I know it's your favourite dish, so..."

"Thanks so much, Lily Flower!" beamed Sirius.

Lily scoffed at the nickname Sirius had given her back in their seventh year, when she became a lot closer to the Marauders, but said nothing. She knew both James and Sirius had a lot to talk about, so she said she would be going to the kitchen to get lunch ready, but surprisingly enough both James and Sirius offered themselves to help.

The three of them walked to the kitchen. As Lily gave its final touches to the main course, James made sure the chocolate cake he and Lily had prepared over the last day didn't have any self-shuffling cards inside, as the last time Sirius had visited them. Sirius opened the cupboard and took a nice wine bottle and three goblets, placing them on the dining room table.

The three of them started lunch casually, as if they were just a normal couple seeing their best friend again after two or three weeks. The war wasn't mentioned once – at least through lunch – and laughter often filled the living room, making Harry peer up from his sitting chair rather curiously, and giggle along every now and then. Sirius told them about their old friends: Marianne had married her boyfriend Daniel and was living in New York City, Alma and Remus were living in Surrey, and Gale had just gotten a job in India as a Gringotts worker and had moved there with Juliet. Peter was still living in Devon with his family, as shy and chubby as always.

No-one mentioned Connie though, and perhaps that was the only awkward moment that day. James had been told on their last Order meeting that Connie, Miriam Heavensbee and Craig Thurman were killed together in a Death Eater attack, but Lily knew nothing about it. When she found out about one of her closest friends' death, she found it hard to hold back the tears as memories flooded her mind. All those days she had spent doing homework with Connie, chatting happily with the other girls and playing around...and she was gone. She was barely twenty, and she was _gone_. She wanted to cry so badly, but still kept a straight face and took in a deep breath as she felt James's hand atop of hers. She knew he would always be there for her, and that she would never be completely alone.

Where was that bloody war going to take them?

...

**Author's Note**: Eugh, I hate this chapter. But it's the best I could come up with after the whole week planning a rather crappy idea I had, so I guess that's what you get when I have a major writer's block. Oh well. And sorry if the ending's a bit too rushed, I didn't know what else could I write.

Next chapter, _1981 or Halloween_ will come as soon as I get it all planned and written, which I presume will be in a maximum of a week or so. It'll be the final chapter of Lily and James's lives, but I'll also include an epilogue after it. Cheers!


	11. 1981 or Hallowe'en

**Chapter Eleven: 1981**

or _Hallowe'en_

...

Hallowe'en day was as normal as always. Pumpkins sat on soft grass with their creepy, ghostly smiles smartly carved in, and decorations spread around the house giving it the dark yet lovely colour of black and orange, in a true Hallowe'en style.

Harry had turned fifteen months old that day. James and Lily had given the small toddler a playing Quidditch broomstick as a present, which little Harry liked very much. Their son now seemed to walk almost perfectly, and he already knew how to say a few things, such as 'mum', 'dad' and 'pee'. Every time their son pronounced a single word, tears flooded Lily's eyes. Things had become worse for them over the past few weeks – they were now stuck inside their own house, protected by a Fidelius charm and Peter Pettigrew as their new Secret Keeper. James didn't trust Peter half as much as he trusted Sirius, but his friend had insisted that was the best idea.

Lily walked downstairs, after having sung a lullaby to Harry until the baby fell asleep. She felt exhausted, completely anguished by the feeling of perpetual stress James and her felt in their everyday lives. Now they didn't even assist the Order's meetings, they couldn't work, they couldn't see their friends – their life would have been a complete hell, had one not been there for the other every single second of their lives.

She found James sitting on the sofa, staring at the crackling fire. Their living room, with the fire and the comfortable sofa, reminded Lily of their days back in the Gryffindor common room, when they were just carefree children who teased each other to never end. Lily smiled when she saw him sitting in the same position than back in their seventh year, as if he were waiting for her to come down and sit down by his side. She walked over to the couch and sat next to him without saying a word, resting her head on the crook of his neck.

"Hey," whispered James, kissing the top of her head. "Is Harry asleep?"

"Yeah," yawned Lily. "Fell asleep in a couple of minutes. Oh, James – he looks just like you."

"He has your eyes," commented her husband with a proud smile. "And he has your temper, too. At least I know he won't be as arrogant as I used to be."

"You weren't arrogant," said Lily. "You just wanted some attention."

James frowned, "I was a bully. Everyone knows that, and I don't know why did it take me so long to realize I had never treated Snape right. It's not like I'm suddenly tremendously fond of him – but I shouldn't have bullied him the way I did over our first years at Hogwarts."

Lily gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and hugged him by the neck.

"Now, don't you worry about that," she said. "That was years ago. You've grown up – everyone can see that. You've become the best man I've ever known, James. You're incredibly intelligent, sweet, handsome – the best husband I could have ever asked for."

James smiled, and pulled Lily closer, breathing in her soft lavender scent. She hadn't changed a bit after all those years. Her hair still smelled like fresh lavender and her fiery red hair and her big green eyes drew everyone's attention towards her. But Lily didn't enjoy being in the spotlight, she had always been rather shy. James loved this too, because she wasn't one of those preppy, conceited girls who followed him around the school when he was in his fifth year.

They watched the fire crackling slowly without sparing a word. The silence between them was perfectly comfortable, and feeling each other's presence was more than enough for them. James held Lily in his arms, and Lily felt her husband's chest moving up and down as he breathed.

"Lily," he croaked finally. "Do you think I should have been placed in Slytherin?"

Lily looked up to him with a surprised expression. When her green orbs met his beautiful hazel eyes, she saw he was completely serious about the question he had just asked her.

"Of course not," said Lily calmly. "You wouldn't make a good Slytherin. You're too nice, and too brave for that."

"But I was a bully," groaned James. "I picked on people just because I didn't like them."

"So what?" Lily asked. "We all have flaws, that's what makes us humans. Plus, you grew out of it, didn't you. James, listen to me. You're the bravest, smartest, and most loyal man I've ever met. You were sorted in Gryffindor because you deserved it, and not because of some dumb mistake."

James nodded slowly, deciding he couldn't argue his wife's words. She looked not angry, but rather taken aback by his comment, so he didn't want to press the subject just in case he bothered her. Lily was still frowning at him, but said nothing. Then, after a few seconds, her expression softened and she placed a small kiss on his lips.

"You're the best man I've ever met," she whispered. "You can't torture yourself with what you did in the past. You were only a child back then, no-one can blame you."

James beamed at her, and kissed her back. When he pulled away, he felt the same butterflies he had felt inside his stomach after their very first kiss, on their fourth year.

"I love you, Lily," he told her. "Don't you ever forget that."

They both sat together in silence for a few seconds, enjoying each other's presence. But of course, this wasn't for too long. A couple of minutes later, they heard a soft knock on the door. It was barely audible, yet it scared Lily and James to the very end of each hair in their bodies. James's heart started pounding a great deal faster, and he slowly stood up and helped Lily up too.

"Lily," he whispered. "Go upstairs. Take Harry. If you hear anything odd just try and escape. If – if it's him – I'll try to distract him all I can."

Tears flooded Lily's eyes once more. She looked at James with watery eyes, not wanting to believe that could be the last time she saw him – alive, at least. Tears starting to trickle down her face, Lily placed one hand in each of James's cheeks and gave him a long kiss. Then, trying not to make any noise, she started walking upstairs, feeling a growing lump in her throat.

James walked to the hall slowly. His palms were all sweaty, and he tried to fix his glasses properly as he found himself in front of the door. If it really was the person – could they _really _call him a person? – Lily and him suspected it was, he would have no need to open the door.

And indeed, a split of a second later, the door landed on the floor with a loud _thud!_ and James found himself again face-to-face with the closest thing to Devil itself on Earth.

Lord Voldemort.

His face was revolting. Slimy grey skin and a lack of nose made up his face, with tiny, piercing black orbs. He wore a long, black cloak that covered everything but his slimy, long silvery fingers, which held a wand tightly. The twenty-one-year-old man had already met Voldemort twice, but he had never felt as defenseless as that time, just as he realized his wand was upstairs, and that he had no time to go there and get it. James's hand started trembling as something struck him.

He was going to die.

"Again we meet, Potter," said Voldemort in his dark, hoarse voice. "And now no friend of yours is going to cover you. No wand, no protection," he let out a loud cackle.

"LILY!" He yelled. "LILY! IT'S HIM! IT'S HIM, YOU HAVE TO GO AWAY!"

Just as he saw how Voldemort raised his wand towards him, a series of images flashed through James's mind. He desperately clung onto them, trying to make the pain of knowing those were the last seconds of his life a bit less painful.

He saw when he first met Remus and Sirius in the Hogwarts Express. How they had laughed, and how they had liked each other from the very first moment.

He saw when he first saw Lily Evans's fiery red hair, sitting next to greasy-haired Snivelly, and how he picked on her.

He saw the Sorting Ceremony, and how he had felt so ecstatic about having Sirius and Remus in Gryffindor with him. And most of all, how he had felt so overjoyed as he found out the redhead in the Hogwarts Express was a Gryffindor too.

He saw the first punishment he and Lily attended together. He wouldn't stop throwing puns and jokes at her. James knew she hated him, but he couldn't help but think he was starting to like her a little.

He saw when he saved her life when her Quidditch broom broke into pieces. The smile on her lips as they flew up again had been the most heart-warming thing James had ever seen.

He saw their first kiss, being fourteen years old. The slap on his face seemed to hurt again, and the fiery teenager seemed to come back into James's body.

He saw when he hexed Avery and Mulciber just to protect her. The grateful expression in her eyes was something James would never forget.

He saw when he took her out of the Whomping Willow, transformed into his stag form. How his heart had started pounding so quickly had been the worst feeling in the world, and yet James had managed to save her.

He saw their first real kiss, in the Heads Dorm. Her lips had felt like heaven, and after the kiss James had felt compelled to make Lily Evans the happiest person in the world. And he had been true to his word ever since.

He saw his proposal, back in the Order Headquarters. Lily's expression had been priceless, and the joy they had both felt as James kissed Lily as his fiancé for his first time had been the greatest thing he had felt.

He saw their wedding, and everyone who had joined them in the best day of their lives. He remembered his small conversation with Sirius, which had meant a lot to James. His good old Sirius, brothers not by blood but by heart.

He saw Harry's first words. How Lily and him had brought a child to their world was greater than the most powerful magic on Earth.

James Potter looked up at Lord Voldemort, whose lips were now curling into the worst smile James had ever seen as he started muttering something. James stood there, frozen. Then it hit him.

He would never see Sirius and Remus again.

He would not hear Harry pronouncing his name again.

He would not watch his child grow.

He'd lose his brother by heart, Sirius Black.

He would never see Lily again.

He would never be able to kiss her.

As James fell down to the floor, having been struck by the green lightning coming from the tip of Lord Voldemort's wand, he heard one last shriek piercing the air. Oh, how he wished it had just been one of Harry's lovely giggles.

"JAMES!"

...

Tears streamed down Lily's face as she heard the sound of a dead body hitting the floor downstairs. No – James couldn't be dead – he had to live old, _they_ had to live old, and watch Harry grow up –

She saw a dark, silvery figure sliding into the room. She clutched a shrieking Harry in her arms, pressing him close to her chest.

"Your Dad will not have died for nothing," she whispered to Harry, kissing her son's black hair – which painfully reminded her of James's.

She turned around and looked straight into Voldemort's piercing black eyes. She said nothing for a few seconds, and just looked at him with a pleading expression. She would not let Harry die.

"Stand aside, girl," said Voldemort in his hoarse, dark voice. "Stand aside and I won't have to kill you."

"No!" she croaked, barely able to talk. "Not Harry! Please – take me instead...kill me, but not Harry..."

Voldemort cackled loudly. Lily's body hair stood on its edges, and Harry started crying louder, if possible.

"Don't be silly, girl," he said. "Give me the baby and I won't kill you."

"Never!" roared Lily, clutching Harry onto her chest.

Voldemort let out a loud cackle, and Lily suddenly knew her end was drawing close. She clutched Harry with all her might, and desperately tried to make her little son calm down. The only thing she could do now was give Harry all her love and will and hope he would get saved. Perhaps, just perhaps, her little son could make it. Yes! Her son would come alive. Sirius would take the little child with him, and raise him as his own child. Lily knew Sirius would be broken by the news, but she completely trusted he would raise Harry right.

She pressed her eyes close and kissed Harry's jet-black, messy hair for one last time.

"I love you, Harry," she whispered. "Your Dad and I will always be up there looking after you."

She saw how Voldemort pulled her wand out. Her end was drawing close, but somehow she knew Harry's wasn't. Her son would live old and happy, and that was a very good reason worth dying for. A series of flashes came to her mind, and she closed her eyes as tears started flowing down her face again.

She saw when she first saw James Potter and his jet-black, messy hair, and how she had thought he could really use a comb one day.

She saw the Sorting Ceremony, and how he had felt so ecstatic about having Alma and Remus in Gryffindor with him. She also remembered how bitter she had felt when she knew she would be spending the next seven years stuck in the same common room than her newfound nemesis, James Potter.

She saw the first punishment she and James attended together. He wouldn't stop throwing puns and jokes at her. Lily thought she hated him with all her might, but after a few jokes on Nearly Headless Nick, she couldn't help but think she was starting to like him just a teensy little bit.

She saw when he saved her life when her Quidditch broom broke into pieces. James had saved her from getting smashed into pieces, and he had turned into her savior. That was something Lily would never be able to thank him enough.

She saw their first kiss, being fourteen years old. Her hand still seemed to throb and she could perfectly remember how tear had streamed down her face endlessly for the whole night, confused about what she felt for that devilish James Potter.

She saw when he hexed Avery and Mulciber just to protect her. How he had told Mulciber he would send a bunch of centaurs after him if he dared to call Lily a Mudblood again had made Lily beam at him with a grateful expression.

She saw when he took her out of the Whomping Willow, transformed into his stag form. It had been the scariest night of her life, and yet Lily always smiled as she remembered it.

She saw their first real kiss, in the Heads Dorm. His lips had felt like heaven, and after the kiss Lily had realized how much she loved James Potter. She had sworn to stand by his side until the very end, and she had stuck to that promise until then.

She saw his proposal, back in the Order Headquarters. James's smile of pure joy as she accepted his ring had been the best moment in her life, with _Total Eclipse of The Heart_ in the background._  
_

She saw their wedding, and everyone who had joined them in the best day of their lives. She remembered dancing with a bemused Sirius, who was a little bit drunk. Good old Sirius, who had become a brother to her in no time.

She saw Harry's first words. How James and her had brought a child to their world was greater than the most powerful magic on Earth.

Lily Potter looked up at Voldemort with a scared expression. She would die, but her son would live. She was going to make sure he had the long, lovely life she and James had never had. Then, just as Voldemort started muttering a few words, it hit her.

She would never see Sirius and Remus again.

She would not hear Harry pronouncing her name again.

She would not watch her child grow.

She'd lose her adoptive brother, Sirius Black.

She would never see James again.

She would never be able to kiss him.

Lily fell down to the floor, with Harry still tightly in her arms.

Harry would live. And that was more than enough for her.

...

**Author's Note**: I literally cried as I wrote this. Gosh, I'm sorry I wrote something so freaking depressing. I dunno if it is all right, but now I feel all depressed over their deaths. Ugh.

Well, this was the next-to-last chapter for _Ten Years_, the last one with Lily and James alive. The epilogue will come soon...I promise it will be a lot more cheerful than this. Sorry if I depressed you or something!_  
_


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